The Tree House
by Unfable
Summary: Jim had become Joyce's rock. Her safe place when shit hit the fan and she couldn't have loved the man any more than she already did. Jim was a beacon of light in her dark and miserable life. The one man who could see past her baggy clothes, second-hand books and the bruises she attempted to hide.
1. Chapter 1

**Please keep in mind this story is AU. It follows the lives of Hopper and Joyce during their childhood, teenage years and eventually to when they are adults.**

**Story is rated M for violence, sexual content, attempted rape and child abuse.**

**Originally posted on AO3. Username: Unfable and Co-Written with a friend.**

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An outcast. That was what Joyce Horowitz was defined as. That girl, that one girl who always had her camera in hand or a book at her nose and no friends by her side. Her teachers adored her. She constantly made good grades, was praised for her good manners and her astounding work for the yearbook. However, the story that is perceived out in the open is usually a completely different book at home. The single-wide trailer her abusive father's shitty salary provided was more like the chamber of a gun, a cold piece of steel just waiting for a bullet to rip through it.

Jim Hopper was Joyce's polar opposite. Captain of the wrestling team, the most popular guy in school. Every girl at Hawkins High wanted to catch his eye. He lived on his family farm, helping out more than he should when his father had to pull a double shift at the station. His home life and school life were in perfect sync. He was loved not only by his family, but by his peers as well. Most of all he was loved by his best friend, Joyce.

Jim had become Joyce's rock. Her safe place when shit hit the fan and she couldn't have loved the man any more than she already did. Jim was a beacon of light in her dark and miserable life. The one man who could see past her baggy clothes, second-hand books and the bruises she attempted to hide.

He had a future and she wouldn't allow him to ruin that because of her reputation. It was the main reason she'd always told him no. The main reason she tried to avoid him in the halls and why she asked to be seated up front in classes they shared. Was she crazy for constantly turning away the most popular guy in school? Absolutely, but the need to protect him outweighed her need for happiness. He couldn't be seen in public with someone like her.

However, that didn't last. Before long, Hopper was breaking every rule in the book that Joyce had put in place for them. To not only protect herself, but to protect him too. He had gotten better at finding her in the crowded halls between classes. Always finding her secret hiding spots for lunch. Just always being the Hopper he shouldn't be in public.

"Jesus Hop!" Joyce hissed through clenched teeth one afternoon when he suddenly appeared at her locker. She didn't miss the grin on his face as she began to fumble putting her books into her locker.

"What are you doing?" She asked once her heart had returned to its normal rate and she had checked that the halls were vacant.

Hopper shook his head at her panic but glanced up and down the halls nonetheless.

"I've missed you" He pouted playfully, leaning against the locker beside hers. He couldn't help but notice her not making eye contact and simply shuffling her books in their metal storage unit.

"No one is around Joyce, you don't have to pretend that the sun doesn't shine out of my ass when it comes to me and you."

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for practice? Those jeans don't look very comfortable for wrestling." She snipped back, finally closing her locker and clearing out her combination for good measure.

"Coach won't say anything if I'm a little late. He'll just make me do an extra lap...or nine. Besides, I wanted to see you. You've been avoiding me all day."

"And for a good reason, you know the rules Hop…"

Jim stood to his full height, a good six inches taller than Joyce. The top of her head barely came to the hollow of his throat.

"Joyce, do you have any idea how hard it is to pretend that you don't exist? We are in school from seven thirty in the morning until three thirty in the afternoon. That's eight hours. Eight hours that I could be pining over you in the stairwell, but you won't let me."

Joyce frowned at the floor. Did he not know how hard it was for her to constantly push him away? To have to physically pull herself away from him or fight the urge to place her lips on his neck? She loved him so much she sacrificed her own joy just to make sure he was safe and protected.

"Please just go before someone sees you Hop." She falters, reaching to the ground to pick up her book bag.

"Joyce..." He pleaded, his hand reaching down for hers.

"Jim what's taking so long? We got practice!" Benny Hammond's voice shot through the deserted hall. Making both Joyce and Hopper jump out of their skin. Hopper quickly hit the lock on Joyce's locker, knocking the lock-free.

Hopper cleared his voice before glancing at Joyce. "Just helping with a stuck locker Benny, keep your tights on."

Benny came to a stop in front of the two of them, hands casually sliding down to rest over the dark green of his wrestling uniform.

"And why exactly are you worried about some street trash's locker? Come on dude, we're going to be late and I'm not doing extra laps because of you." Benny looked between Jim and Joyce, eyeing them both.

"You might want to wash your hands too, don't want whatever disease this thing has spreading to you or the team."

"Fucking great." Joyce mouthed to herself at the insult and turned on her heel, adjusting her book bag as she went.

"Don't be an asshole." Hopper knew he was crossing one of Joyce's imaginary lines. He knew he wasn't supposed to defend her, especially not at school, but he didn't care. Not now, when he wanted to throw his teammates head into the locker he stood beside. Joyce was unaware that it literally made his heart ache when he had to stand by and watch people ridicule her and treat her like yesterday's garbage. No one deserved that, especially not his Joyce.

"Whatever man, seriously though, wash your hands before you come to practice, I'm not risking catching something on the mats because you decided to play hero to the trash princess."

"Bastard" Hop thought to himself as he turned to go after Joyce, only to find the hallway empty without a trace of which way she went. Sighing, he looked down at his watch. Only two hours and twenty-six minutes before he saw her again and he was already counting down the seconds.

It had been nice at first, Hopper standing up for her. She felt comfortable for the first time in her life to be around someone, let alone a guy who was twice her size that she knew she couldn't take in a fight. However It had broken her heart when she saw how the kids were starting to treat Jim differently. All because he was associating himself with the gutter trash of Hawkins. That's when the agreement had been made. They would continue being friends. Best friends, but only in secret. Hopper hadn't liked the idea at first. Liked it even less now that Joyce was forcing him to date every single girl in Hawkins in an attempt to overthrow his feelings for her, but if it meant seeing Joyce every day he would take that secret to his grave.

They had been best friends since they were three years old. The fragile bond they had created over the years had become unbreakable. Constantly playing in the pastures between the Hopper Farm and the Horowitz trailer. It was there in those hay covered fields that Jim began to fall in love with her. It was also where he stumbled onto her deepest, darkest, secret for the first time. She had been fourteen at the time, Jim just a year older. They had been chasing after each other when Joyce tripped and fell to the ground, causing her white long sleeve shirt to ride up her body where it exposed her ribs and the bruises that covered them.

That very evening Hopper set his plan into motion. Between the overgrown hay fields and abandoned barns, Hopper with the help of his father made Joyce a sanctuary. The safe place she always needed when he couldn't be at her side. The tree house was cradled in the limbs of an old Oak tree twenty or so feet in the air. With his father's impressive carpentry skills, the tree house grew above Hoppers' expectations. He even added little shutters to the screened-in windows, making it feel more like a home than Joyce had ever lived in. The teens had tried to convince Hopper's father that the bruises had been a one-time thing. He, however, knew better. The Horowitz girl was scared of her own shadow most days, which didn't come from just a one time experience and Jim's dad already disliked Joyce's father. Having brought him to the station more than once for public intoxication and even an assault charge, he knew the guy was bad news. Nothing would have pleased him more than to bring the shit bag in for child abuse, but Jim had talked him out of it. Saying the girl already suffered enough at school without her father being the talk of the town.

Jim walked the half mile stretch from his house to the tree house. Over the years the weather had caused slight imperfections. A branch falling here or there chipping the paint. The snowstorm last year had taken out part of the railing on the backside, but with those exceptions, Joyce's haven was still standing stronger than ever. Just like the women Hopper knew was hiding inside of it at this very moment.

Hopper carefully walked toward the tree house, trying his best not to disturb the grass surrounding it. Placing his booted foot onto the first rung of the original ladder, he began his ascent. The weight and height he had gained in his numerous growth spurts didn't even seem to bother the aged wood, which didn't even bow under him as he climbed up. As he came to the top, the sound of the radio playing softly caught his ears, signaling that Joyce was indeed still mad at him. That was his reason for showing up so late after practice had ended, because he knew she was mad and didn't want to fight with her. Biting his tongue, he pulled himself into the tree house, his eyes immediately looking for Joyce.

He found her curled up on the couch with a book in hand, using the last little bit of daylight left to finish her chapter. She looked up from her book, gave him a slight wave and went right back to reading. The worn paperback in her hands was one he had seen her read numerous times and didn't even bother asking her what it was about anymore, already knowing the tale as if he had read it himself.

"Hey" He greeted, placing a paper bag on the couch between them. She ignored him, snuggling deeper into the couch that had been purposefully placed beside the biggest window so she could read until dark.

"Mom made burgers for dinner tonight. Said she added extra cheese on yours just the way you like it. Hell, she even sent a little thing of pickles on the side so the buns wouldn't get soggy." He commented, grabbing one of the burgers out of the bag. He didn't miss the sound of her stomach growling as the smell of a hot meal filled the tree house, but in all her stubbornness, Joyce still ignored him.

"Come on Joyce, I know you're hungry. You're practically trying not to jump on dinner now." Hopper scolded as he grabbed two cans of coke out of the bag. Handing her one, she quickly took it and put it between her legs in a makeshift can holder. Her eyes moved to the bottom of the page before she folded the small corner, marking her spot and closing the book. After placing it on the floor beside the couch, she reached for her burger and Hopper noticed the calculated moves she was making.

"I'm sorry about Benny. He's been a real asshole here lately." Hopper comments as Joyce takes a small bite of her burger.

"Here lately? He's always been an asshole, you just try to see the good in everyone Hop." She comments as she takes yet another small bite.

They continue to eat in silence. Neither one of them wanting to address the elephant in the room. Deciding to go ahead and bite the bullet, Hopper speaks first.

"Look Joyce I was only trying to-"

"You know the rules Hopper! Don't talk to me at school. At the tree house, or out in the fields, you can talk and touch me as much as you want to. But out there, where everyone can see, I don't exist, got it? I'm just the gutter trash that everyone claims that I am and that's how it needs to be! I don't want to drag you down into the shit I have to deal with. So just stay away from me out there!"

"I don't want to stay away from you Joyce! You would think after years of me telling you I love you and knowing I would do anything for you, that you would finally listen! I don't give a damn about what anyone at that school thinks! My momma and dad love you and those are the only two opinions that matter to me! I don't want to fight with you about this Joyce, cant you-"

"Then why are you even here Hopper? You know I'm mad at you." She snipped.

"Yes, I know you're mad at me. But I also know that you love me and dammit I'm tired of this arrangement and having to act like I don't love you too."

Getting frustrated and needing her to be close to him, Hopper reaches his hand out to Joyce's side trying to pull her close. It's when she flinches away from his touch that he realizes it was Wednesday and she had to go to the trailer for clothes before coming there. If he hadn't known her for years, he would have just assumed she didn't want to be touched by him. However, her reaction was one of a girl who had been touched too much.

"That son of a bitch." Hopper gritted his teeth, his frustration quickly turning to a fit of white-hot anger.

"What pissed him off this time?'' He questioned, trying to control his breathing. He could tell she was startled and didn't want to make it worse.

Joyce watched Hopper's knuckles turn white as he gripped the back of the couch, a habit he had developed after Joyce had pleaded with him not to punch the walls of the tree house when he was angry. With her bottom lip between her teeth, she contemplated lying to him.

"Tell me the truth Joyce, and no bullshit." He stated, not making eye contact with her.

"Got a B in calculus..." She confided, scooting into the far corner of the couch. Hopper knew she wasn't afraid of him. It was just a reflex she had developed over the years, a survival technique to make sure she made it to the next day. He flexed his jaw. Any parent should be over the moon with their daughter making a B in calculus, especially since that daughter was taking college-level calculus in a small school like Hawkins High. She was already the smartest kid there and everyone knew that. How much more did he want from her?

"How bad is it?'' He asked once he knew the anger he was feeling inside wouldn't be heard in his voice.

Silently, she lifted her shirt, exposing the new bruises forming over the ones that had still yet to heal. Her ribs looked like a child's painting. Just blotches of greens, yellows, blues and purples dancing along her side. Joyce couldn't bear to look Hopper in the eye, knowing the sadness there would make her feel even worse for getting that B.

"Jesus." He whispered, gingerly reaching out to touch around the damaged skin. Small cuts caught his attention. The dark red of dried blood not blending so well with the other colors.

"Is he cutting you now too?'' He asked, his voice quiet over the sound of crickets coming in from the windows.

"They're from the clasp of the belt."

"He used a god damn belt!?" Hopper's voice jumped up in volume, startling Joyce who quickly pulled her shirt down.

Knowing he had scared her Hopper opened his arms.

"Come here." He nearly begged. Without a fight Joyce allowed him to carefully take her into his lap where she rested her head on his shoulder. Forcing back the tears she knew were trying to fall, she attempted to catch her breath. There was no denying she was as tough as they come, but even warriors can only take so much before they break. When it got to this point, Hopper was the only person she'd trust enough to see her. Knowing he wouldn't try to take advantage of her vulnerability.

"It's okay I'm right here. Just let it out." Hopper soothed as he felt her small body began to tremble against his chest. Letting her tears fall, Joyce cried for almost an hour. Hating her life, hating her father, but most of all, loving the man whose arms were currently surrounding her like a steel fortress.

The sun had almost gone completely down, and as the room grew dim, Joyce sniffed and lifted her head to meet Hopper's eyes.

"Thank You." She whispered, wiping her sweaty hands on her jeans. "Thank you for loving me even when I give you every reason not too. You deserve so much better than this train wreck."

Hopper didn't hesitate to cup her cheek and wipe the last of her drying tears away with his thumb. He listened to her apologize endlessly. His chest becoming tighter and tighter the closer she got to breaking again.

"There's nothing in the world I've wanted more than you Joyce. You're the smartest, kindest person I have ever met and I'll never understand how no one else can see that. You're too good for this world and I don't give a damn what anyone says. They can go to hell for all I care."

Joyce couldn't help the small smile that graced her lips at his words. Anticipating Hopper's next move, Joyce leaned forward as he went to kiss her forehead, but instead of her hands staying at her side like usual, they guided Hopper's jaw downward, letting the kiss land on her lips. He tensed at first. Shocked by the boldness of her move. Quickly relaxing, Hopper kissed her back. It was slow, their lips gently meeting. Fifteen years of compassion and love poured from one another. Neither wanting to hold back their feelings any longer. Hopper found himself getting overwhelmed from the pure, raw emotion that Joyce was finally letting herself feel and parted from her, taking in a shallow breath before placing one final quick kiss on her lips and resting his forehead against hers.

Something wet touched Joyce's hand as she ran it over Hopper's stubbly cheek. Looking up, she noticed he was crying.

"That bad huh?" She asked, nuzzling into his shoulder. He didn't say a word.

When she lifted her head, Hopper was staring down at her, unshed tears in his eyes.

"Hop what's wrong?" She asked worriedly as she went to move from his lap. His arms quickly pulled her close again, hearing her gasp at the pressure on her side and quickly loosened his grip. "Nothing 's wrong Joy. It was… just completely perfect." He finished.

"So it was okay?"

"That has to be the dumbest thing you've ever asked me." Hopper laughed, snuggling if possible closer to her. That's when he realized what she meant by her question. It had been her first kiss.

"Hey look at me." Hopper coaxed his pointer finger under her chin.

"It was perfect. You are perfect. Don't ever think otherwise okay?"

Joyce smiled and placed a kiss on his collarbone. She had no idea what she was doing. She had spent the last six years of her life coming up with every excuse she could on why they shouldn't, and couldn't be together. How their friendship was risky enough, matter less throwing actual feelings into the mix. But there she was, kissing his collarbone and sending him mixed signals. A small part of her worried about what he might try to do outside the walls of the tree house now. The other was worried about what he might not do.

Hopper shivered slightly when her cool lips touched the warmth of his skin and absentmindedly tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Are you staying here tonight?" He asked.

She leaned into his touch without a second thought and gently nodded her head. "Yeah, don't see a point for me to go back home."

"Let's pull out the bed then before it gets completely dark." Reluctantly he pushed her to stand, taking care not to put any pressure on her left side. Once she was steady on her feet, Joyce went to the opposite wall grabbing a sheet from their small pile of supplies. This wasn't a new thing for them. Over the past four years, countless nights had been shared in the tree house. Night's spent crying, snuggling, and just talking until the early hours of the morning. They had endured thunderstorms, feet of snow, and much more.

As Joyce started removing the cushions from the couch, Hopper unfolded the bed and pulled the old sheet off. Throwing it into a far corner of the tree house he began to unlace his boots. Standing to his full height, he unbuttoned his flannel as he watched Joyce rummage through her overnight bag. Finally, pulling out her camera.

"Will you?" She asked timidly.

Hopper frowned and dropped his shirt unceremoniously onto the floor. Taking her camera in his hand he waited while she pulled up the side of her shirt. Once again revealing the damage. He had been the eye behind the lens of every one of these photos and each time his heart broke just a little bit more. Seeing her treated this way was exhausting, but a burden he gladly shouldered. He quickly snapped the picture and handed the camera back like it was no big deal.

The walls of the tree house were covered with hundreds of pictures of the two of them. Their first night in the tree house, first fishing trip, hell even the time Joyce had almost burned the place down with a candle. They were smiling in almost every single one of them. Smiling because they were that close to each other. Hopper had stolen one to keep in his wallet a long time ago, now worn with wear. He had taken it out every night he wasn't sleeping beside her just to see her beautiful face.

But the little black box behind the couch is where her current photo went. A reminder that things were not so great for her. It was filled with countless photos of her bruises, cuts, and nightmares she would have for the rest of her life. The little black box that hid behind the smiles of the wall. A box that would hopefully be the downfall of her father.

Joyce had her reasons for keeping them. Reasons Hopper couldn't even begin to understand, but he didn't bother her about them. It was a way for her to deal and that would be enough for him for now.

"So are you technically cheating on your girlfriend if you're staying here with me?" Joyce called over her shoulder as she pulled on a pair of sleep shorts. Glancing around the tree house she found Hoppers discarded flannel. Making a quick move for it, Joyce took off her long sleeve shirt and pulled his flannel on over her bra.

The sight of her in his shirt gave Hopper a feeling of possessiveness. To call her his and wanting everyone to know it. Joyce quickly did up the buttons before unclasping her bra, trying her best to make sure Hopper wouldn't see anything he hadn't seen before.

Brought back from his thoughts, Hopper stepped out of his jeans and rolled his eyes. "What girlfriend?"

"Don't you have a date with Chrissy on Friday night?"

"It's just a date, Joy. A date that you're forcing me to go on I might add. And besides, I've shared a bed with you for years and I'm not about to give that up."

Standing in just an undershirt and his boxers, he crawled across the bed to where she was standing, gently placing his hands on her hips. His thumbs rubbing small circles on her cold skin.

"I don't even like her and you know it." He whispered, placing another kiss on her forehead.

"You have to like her a little bit at least. I've seen you almost suck her face off." Joyce laughed as a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature covered her body. Moving back to his side of the bed, Hopper held up the blankets, encouraging her to climb under them with him.

"The only reason I make out with her or anyone else is because you said everyone would think I was queer if I didn't." He gently pinched her uninjured side as she crawled into bed with him. "I'm in love with you, not her Joyce. And one day I'm going to tell the world how I'm the luckiest man alive."

Joyce usually snuggled into his side, but tonight she crawled on top of him, wanting to rest her head on his chest.

"Well, this is new." Hopper commented as Joyce leaned down to place a kiss on his lips, shutting him up instantly.

Joyce straddled his thighs and continued to kiss him. Unable to hold back his excitement, Hopper moaned into her mouth. The top button of his flannel had come undone, giving him a tease of what was beneath and he ran his hands through her hair, her tiny frame trembling under his touch. She explored his mouth, sloppy and inexperienced, but Hopper loved every minute of it. Becoming more eager and less hesitant in her exploration, it took no time at all for them to find a rhythm that made a heat stir in the pit of his stomach.

"I'm sorry if I'm bad at this." Joyce whispered against his lips as she came up for a breath.

"You're not, trust me." A blush he was glad Joyce couldn't see spread across his cheeks. "As bad as I hate to say it, we should probably stop." He breathed against her neck, placing light kisses down the length of it. He had purposely been keeping her sitting on his stomach, so she wouldn't feel his erection against her.

"We can't stop, if you keep kissing me..." Joyce voiced as she leaned down closer to him.

"You're right." He sighed, giving her lip one last nip as she moved to lay down beside him. Laying with her injured side facing the ceiling, Hopper laid behind her, knowing she couldn't sleep unless her back was to him or a wall. He much preferred it to be him. Just knowing she was safe beside him was all he needed.

"How are you so goddamn good at that already?" He asked into the darkness.

"I read all the time Hopper, I've learned a thing or two from the pages of those paperbacks."

He made sure she was covered with their worn-out comforter, before placing a hand on her hip. Encouraged by his touch, Joyce scooted closer to him on the bed, his chest pressed up against her back.

"Joyce?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry if I get a hard-on during the night."

"And there goes the moment." Joyce laughed and Hopper could have sworn she intentionally rubbed her ass against him.

"Joyce?" He called out once again.

"Hmm?" She responded with more of a sound this time.

"I love you."

Joyce reached for his hand in the dark and thread their fingers together. His large ones completely covering her own.

"I love you too Hop." She whispered. The words had been spoken between them numerous times before, but tonight however, Joyce felt they meant much, much more.


	2. Chapter 2

Hopper woke up early the next morning to Joyce squeezing his hand. Squeezing it so hard it had brought him out of a deep sleep and was now becoming rather painful. Her soft whimpers and slight twitches instantly alerted him to the problem. She was having a nightmare. Which wasn't uncommon, especially on nights when she had an altercation with her father.

Usually, she would calm down within a few minutes and her breathing would return to normal once the nightmare was over, but this time her movements got worse, her grip grew tighter. Hopper sat up then as much as he could and pressed his chest into her back, finally slipping his hand free.

"Joyce." He whispered and kissed her temple, finding it damp with sweat. He tried again to gently direct her away from the darkness and toward his voice, but she only responded with another whimper and scrunched her face, showcasing the fear in her expression.

"Joy, it's okay, wake up." He soothed, running his hand down the length of her arm.

Without warning, Joyce began to kick in her sleep as if she was trying to fight off the demons who were currently haunting her.

"Joyce, honey you gotta wake-" And she did. So suddenly it caught Hopper off guard and he didn't have a chance to move before she plowed her elbow into his nose.

"Fuck!" He yelled out of reflex, making Joyce jump from the bed and into the corner of the tree house. As she caught her bearings, Hopper laid his head back and groaned in pain, not sure if the pounding in his head was from his nose or the headache that was sure to follow.

"Oh god, Hop! I'm sorry! Shit." Joyce panicked, moving slowly back toward the bed. Her instincts not letting her rush to his side. "Fuck, are you okay?"

Hopper had closed his eyes, the brightness of the sky outside making his head pound even more. Fighting the sting of tears that usually accompany someone getting hit in the nose, he brought his hands to his face, wanting to curl in on himself.

"Hop I'm so sorry, let me see." Joyce begged as she crawled back into bed beside him. When he felt her cool palms on his cheeks, he softened and removed his hands away from his face, thankful there was only a little blood. He couldn't be mad at her, it had been an accident, but damn did it hurt.

"Ow." He whined, wanting to wipe the blood from his nose.

Joyce frowned, feeling terrible that she had hurt him and carefully reached up to run her fingers along the bridge of his nose. She sighed in relief when she realized it hadn't been broken.

"I didn't break it, so that's a plus." She informed him. Her voice still full of guilt.

"Well thank fuck for that." He attempted to joke, grabbing a handful of the sheets to lightly dab the blood away from his upper lip.

"Hopper I'm so, so sorry. Please don't be mad at me."

"Joyce, it was an accident. No worries okay? Next time I'll know to prod you with a stick or something." He grinned, hoping to lighten the mood so she wouldn't beat herself up over it. "You wouldn't happen to have any aspirin would you?"

Joyce was on her feet in an instant, going for her overnight bag. After a few seconds of rummaging, she pulled out a small bottle of pills.

"I don't have anything to wash them down with."

Figuring he got most of the blood from his face when the sheet came back clean on the last swipe, he balled it up and tossed it with the others that needed to be washed. "That's fine I'll take them dry."

He didn't miss the wrinkle of Joyce's nose at the mention of taking the pills dry. "That's really gross Hop."

He shrugged his shoulders, before reaching into the pockets of his discarded jeans and pulling out a pack of Camels. Quickly lighting his first smoke of the day, he made sure to put his lighter back in his pocket since Joyce was notorious for stealing them. Taking a quick drag, he watched as she made her way back to his side. The feel of smoke in his lungs starting to make him relax.

"Trade you." She smiled, holding out two aspirin.

Hopper takes one last drag from his cigarette, before handing it to her as she drops the pills into his other hand. Throwing his head back, he swallows them without a problem, hoping they start to kick in soon.

"I don't see how you smoke these things. They're harsh as hell." She comments, slightly coughing as she inhales through the unfiltered stick.

"You know me, Joy, I like it harsh." He teased with a wink.

Joyce rolls her eyes as she walks back to her overnight bag. Pulling out a pair of baggy jeans, she glances over her shoulder.

Taking the hint, Hopper stood from the bed and opened the wooden door leading outside. The cold from the small deck brought goosebumps to his skin almost immediately. It's colder than usual for the middle of September. Soon he would have to cover the windows of the tree house with plastic in an attempt to keep the cold out or beg his father to trust them with the kerosene heater up there. Putting his back to the open door, Hopper began to piss off the deck, hoping a strong breeze didn't come through over the next fifteen seconds.

"You don't know how easy you have it with that thing Hop. You just get to whip it out wherever and go, while I have to climb down and go squat in the woods." Joyce says from inside the tree house, letting him know she was dressed. Tucking himself into his boxers, he shut the door behind him with a smirk.

"Well, I'm sorry you weren't gifted with a dick." He laughed as he tugged on his cold jeans from the floor. Joyce made to give him his flannel back, but he held up his hand.

"You keep it, it's cold outside." He insisted.

Joyce frowned. "Hopper you know I can't. Everyone would know it's yours."

"Joyce, I'm not the only guy who wears flannel shirts at that damn school. Besides, I'm not going to risk you getting sick because you're too stubborn to wear an old shirt of mine."

"What if someone smells you on it huh? Then what am I supposed to say?"

He gave her a confused look then. "What do you mean?"

"You have a distinct smell." She admitted shyly.

Hopper raised his brow. "Oh really? And what do I smell like then?"

Joyce is quiet. Not wanting to let Hopper know that the smell of his cologne, deodorant, and just him all add up to make her favorite scent in the world.

"We're going to be late if you don't come on." She changes the subject, sliding her arms back into his flannel shirt.

Hopper lets the conversation drop for now and stores it in the back of his mind for future reference. Slinging Joyce's book bag over his shoulder, Hopper climbs down the ladder of the tree house first. Shortly after, Joyce is following his lead. Making sure the small lock they have on the hatch is in place, she climbs down slowly to not slip on the morning dew coating the aging wood. When she's within arms reach, Hopper puts his hands on her side and guides her down the rest of the way. She turns to face him, her hair still a mess from sleep.

"How about a kiss for the road?'' He asked, looking down at the beautiful woman in front of him.

Standing up on her tiptoes, Joyce is still too short to reach him. Grinning, Hopper bends down and places a soft kiss on her lips, making it linger for as long as she'll allow. When he pulls back, Joyce is looking him in the eyes, then her gaze shifts to his nose.

"It's starting to bruise." She sighs, reaching up to run her fingers down the bridge of it.

"It'll be fine Joyce, nothing to worry about, okay?" He promises.

Placing his arm around her shoulders, they begin the walk toward the farm. A walk that brought her a sense of peace, just knowing warmth and a loving family would be waiting at the end.

"Hopefully mom cooked Eggo's and bacon for breakfast." Jim comments as they wade through the tall grass, leading away from their secret retreat.

Joyce slowly makes her way to her bus stop as Hopper sighs and slides into the driver's seat of his truck, hating the fact that they couldn't just ride together. He'd been refused every time it was mentioned, so he didn't even bother asking anymore knowing it would end in them having an argument. Giving him a quick wave, Joyce watched as his light blue Chevy pulled off of his dirt road and into traffic. She prayed for a safe fifteen-minute drive toward Hawkins High. Looking to her left, she saw her bus coming over the hill. Adjusting her book bag and easing the death grip she had on her camera strap, she stepped onto the bus when it came to a stop.

"Good Morning Miss Horowitz." The driver, Miss Shelly greeted as Joyce took her usual seat right behind her.

"Good Morning Miss Shelly." Joyce replied as she settled into her seat. They talked politely about the weather and a program that Miss Shelly watched religiously to pass the time. Before too long, the bus lot at Hawkins High loomed in the distance. Passing the student parking lot, Joyce caught a quick glimpse of Hopper's truck parked neatly at the front of the lot and sighed in relief. Stepping down the three steps of the bus, Joyce was already walking into the halls of the school.

Making her way toward her locker, she kept her head down and her eyes on her feet, not wanting to draw attention to herself. Stopping outside her locker, Joyce sighed at the usual graffiti that seemed to manifest itself overnight. Her locker had been painted more times than she could count, yet the school still didn't seem to care she was a victim of ruthless teenage bullying. The usual nasty notes and slurs toward her tumbled to the floor as she opened the door. Picking up the trash, Joyce noticed a folded piece of notebook paper.

Her heart gave a slight flutter as she quickly and carefully unfolded the note.

_I love the way you look in my shirt - H_

Grinning like a loon, Joyce quickly refolded the note and stashed in it her spare pencil pouch at the back of her locker. The bell signaling the five-minute warning chimed through the school as Joyce grabbed her English book and headed down the hallway. English was her favorite class of the day. If only Hopper was in it with her. She sits in the front of the classroom as usual, daydreaming about Hoppers' note. Every chance she gets she buries her nose in his flannel, comforted by the fact that she has a small piece of him with her throughout the day.

Her day passes in its normal fashion. English, Calculus, World History, and finally lunch. Heading toward the cafeteria, Joyce takes the hallway in quick stride. Avoiding bumping into any of her classmates, she's successful in dodging any hurtful slurs. In the second-floor corner however, she almost runs into a tall figure who has decided to stop in the middle of the hallway to have a conversation and bumps into the guy in front of her. Joyce drops her English folder, her notes and assignments flying everywhere.

"Watch where you're going trailer trash." A snide feminine voice calls out to her as she bends over to pick up her papers. A large hand is in Joyce's line of sight and she glances up to meet Hoppers' eyes as he helps her gather her things.

"Take it easy Chrissy, it was an accident." Hopper voices as he stands and hands Joyce her papers.

"Thanks." Joyce whispers as she stuffs everything back into their folder. Moving onward to the cafeteria, Joyce could feel Hopper's eyes on her. Chrissy's voice reaches Joyce's ears.

"I don't know why you're so nice to her. She's a freak." Chrissy changes the subject when Hopper doesn't reply. "So where are we going tomorrow night?"

Joyce doesn't hear Hopper's response as she ducks into the cafeteria, anxiously needing a smoke and a few minutes to get her shit together.

Her fourth class of the day had been canceled suddenly and Joyce felt saddened at the thought of not having a substitute since that was the one class she had with Hopper today. Sighing, she heads to the library to work on a paper for English. Settling down at a table toward the end of the library, Joyce continued her outline for her paper which was due in two weeks. She had decided to do her report on Hamlet. Mystery, Death, poisoning your relatives, this was something Joyce had thought about on more than one occasion. Walking toward the Shakespeare section of the library, Joyce was lost in thought as she made her way through the maze of shelves and paperbacks. Taking a sharp right at the end of the library, Joyce is met with the sound of kissing. "Go make out in the stairwell" she thought to herself. Turning down the Shakespeare isle Joyce stopped in her tracks. Leaning against the bookshelves were Hopper and Chrissy.

Chrissy had her hands locked around the back of Hopper's neck, his resting against the shelves behind her and Joyce felt her stomach drop at the sight of them, so close together you couldn't see any space between them. Joyce took a step back, not wanting to alert the couple in front of her. That's when her baggy jeans worked their way under her shoes and made her stumble into the shelves, knocking several books to the ground.

Hopper and Chrissy abruptly broke apart, both of their eyes landing on her.

"What the hell are you doing?" Chrissy demanded as she looked down her nose at Joyce.

"Nothing, I'm just-"

"Nothing, I'm just stalking Jim." Chrissy mocked as she let go of Hopper's neck.

"You've been following us all day, and by the way Jim-" Chrissy said turning to face Hopper. "Isn't that the shirt you were wearing earlier this week?"

Joyce froze where she stood. Not knowing whether to make a run for it or to stand her ground.

"Yeah, it's my shirt. My mom gave it and a few other things that won't fit me anymore to her mom. Figured it needed to go to someone in need." He stated, looking back at the blonde.

Reaching down and taking her hand in his, Hopper lead Chrissy down the aisle and toward the front of the library without giving Joyce a second glance. An unfamiliar emotion suddenly swept over her. All she wanted to do was ball her fists up and punch the shelves surrounding her. Why she felt like this she couldn't say. She had never wanted to punch anything or anyone in her life, but the sight of Hopper threading his fingers with that tramps left a sour taste in her mouth. Knowing she would never be able to focus on her paper now, Joyce packed up her belongings and headed toward the bleachers on the football field, needing a smoke more than she ever had in her life.

Her cigarette under the bleachers did nothing at all to settle her nerves. Wanting to just be alone for a while, she decided to walk home from school. It wasn't anything she hadn't done before, having spent long hours in the library after school doing homework or working on projects.

Not even making a stop back at her locker to unload her books, Joyce began the walk home. She made it about half a mile before she heard a horn honk. She didn't bother paying it any attention until it honked again, only this time a hell of a lot closer. Looking up she saw Hopper's truck coming to a stop beside her.

"Get in, it's too cold for you to be walking." Hopper called out as he opened the passenger door to his truck.

"No thanks Hop, I need the exercise." Joyce snipped back.

"Joyce, there isn't an ounce of fat on you now come on before someone drives up behind me." He pleaded.

Ignoring him, Joyce continued walking. If she pretended he wasn't there long enough maybe he would leave. She heard the rev of an engine and glanced up as Hopper drove his truck ahead of her. She let out a sigh of relief until she realized that he had pulled over and was stepping out of his truck.

"What are you doing? I told you I didn't- Hey put me down!" Joyce yelled as her world was literally turned upside down when Hopper tossed her over his shoulder as if she were nothing more than a sack of potatoes. He opened up the driver's door on his truck and stuffed her in the cab. Climbing in, he slammed the door and turned the heat on full blast.

"Why do you always have to fight me huh? If you would just listen then things would go a hell of a lot smoother!" He scolded as he pulled back onto the road.

"What if someone sees us, Jim!?"

"I don't give a rats ass. It's cold and you're not walking back to the farm."

Joyce gave him a glare. "Who said I was going back to the farm?"

"It's Thursday Joyce. Every Thursday Momma makes that fried chicken you love with mashed potatoes, that awesome brown gravy, and green beans. You haven't missed that meal in four years. So yeah, I know what you're doing tonight. You're coming back to the farm. We're going to knock out my chores real quick, and then you're going to take a shower before we eat."

The tone of authority rang loud and clear in Hopper's voice and Joyce couldn't even bring herself to argue with him. Like a child who had just been scolded for acting out, she crossed her arms over her chest, secretly loving the heat that was pouring through the air vents.

The dirt road that led to the Hoppers Farm was bumpy, to say the least and Joyce held onto the passenger door for dear life as Hopper made the drive. Hitting a rather large hole, Hopper's driving made her small frame leave her seat, causing her to hit her head on the ceiling.

"Ow Hopper! You did that shit on purpose!" She pouted as she rubbed the sore spot on her head.

"Well maybe if you came over here instead of sitting on the far side of the cab you wouldn't move so much." Narrowing her eyes, Joyce scooted across the bench seat and into Hoppers' side. He completely failed at hiding his grin when he put his arm around Joyce's shoulder for the remainder of the trip. Coming to an abrupt stop outside of the Hopper House, the duo climbed down from the truck. Stepping up onto the front porch, Joyce hung back as Hopper opened the front door.

"Come on Joyce, I gotta change into my work clothes before we get started. You might as well come in and talk to my mom."

"I still don't think she likes me." Joyce replied wiping her shoes off before stepping into the front entryway.

Hopper rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding me? She adores you. Do you really think she would let me sleep in a tree house with you almost every night if she didn't?"

Hopper hung his coat up by the door before making his way toward the kitchen. Joyce followed hesitantly, still worried about his mom not liking her even though she'd know her practically her entire life.

"Hey, Kiddos! I was wondering when y'all were coming in." Jim's mother Mary greeted as she poked her head out from behind the fridge door.

"Yeah mom, we're fine, just stayed a little late at school." Hopper told his mother as he kissed her cheek and scooted her out of the way of the fridge. Bringing a half-gallon of milk to his lips, Hopper drank straight out of the carton.

"For God's sake Jim, get a glass!" She scolded, grabbing the milk from his hands and placing it back in the fridge.

"Don't need one now, I'm not thirsty anymore. I'll be back down in a few and we will get at it okay?" He stated at Joyce who was still standing shyly in the corner of the kitchen.

Mary shooed him up the stairs and grabbed a thermos from the counter. Pouring something from a pot on the stove into it, she quickly replaced the cap and handed it to Joyce.

"It's getting cold out there and I know you don't really like coffee. So I made some hot chocolate for you to take to the barns with you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hopper, you didn't have to do that." Joyce's quiet voice thanked the lady who had been more of a mother figure to her than her own.

"Darlin, I've been taking care of you for years, you ought to know by now I do what I do because I love you, and Jim does too."

Joyce feels her ears go red from the rush of blood to them. Just as she was about to say thanks again, Jim came bounding down the stairs, a flannel coat thrown over his arm.

"Were heading out to the stables mom, we should be back in an hour or so." Hopper informed his mom as he took his rightful spot by Joyce's side.

"If y'all get too cold come back inside and take a break, okay?" Mary instructed, looking at the both of them in that stern way only a mother can.

"Yes ma'am." Joyce replied, making her way to the front door. Before she has it open, she feels Hopper's hand on her elbow. Looking behind her, he's holding out a coat.

"Your not going out there without a coat, and don't argue either." He said as Joyce opened her mouth to protest.

"Come on, it's my coat from last year, I can't fit in it anymore."

Sighing in defeat, Joyce places the thermos she was holding onto the small bench in the entryway, before turning her back to Hopper. In a matter of seconds, he is helping her slide it up her arms. Turning her to face him, Hopper quickly zips it and adjusts the collar.

"There, now you won't be getting sick and I won't be worrying."

Joyce rolled her eyes as she bent over to pick up the thermos. "Ready to go shovel some horse shit?" She laughs as she grabbed the handle of the front door.

"I heard that young lady!" Mary's voice called from the kitchen.

Hopper couldn't contain his laugh at the look on Joyce's face as she bolted out the door and toward the barn.

Grabbing the handle to the door of the barn, Joyce has to use all of her strength to push it completely open and is instantly greeted by the excited neighs from the four horses currently hiding inside from the cold. Turning on the lights, Hopper feels a tug at his heart when he sees Joyce quietly conversing with the oldest of their horses. He's the first one by the door and everyone's favorite.

"Why don't you work on feeding and brushing them, and I'll do all the shoveling." Hopper suggests as he carefully wraps his arms around Joyce's waist, nuzzling his cold nose into the heat of her neck.

Joyce frowns. "That's not fair to you Hop, You'd be doing all of the hard work."

"It's not hard work Joyce, and besides you take forever when you're shoveling." He teases.

Joyce playfully pushes against his chest and he doesn't even move with her efforts. She shivers when he places a kiss to her neck. A kiss, that brought the scene at the library crashing back into her mind.

"So I guess things are going pretty great with Chrissy huh?' Joyce stated, not even trying to hide the disgust in her voice.

"Come on Joyce, you know that's not fair. You told me at school to act like you don't exist, which is what I was doing. I was there looking for you when Chrissy found me. Next thing I know she's throwing herself at me and then you come around the corner."

"You didn't answer my question, Jim."

"Well, what do you want me to say, Joy? That I didn't enjoy her kissing the pants off of me? I'm a guy! Of course, I was going to like it." He admits.

"So you liked it huh? Glad to know, because that kiss I gave you this morning is going to be the last one you'll get from me, Jim Hopper!"

Joyce is mad. Madder than she's ever been at Hopper and she honestly doesn't know why. He was right, he was only doing what she told him to do. Completely ignore her and act as if she didn't exist within the walls of Hawkins High. She couldn't understand her anger toward him, especially since he was doing exactly what she asked.

Taking a deep breath, Joyce went to the storage containers that housed the horse brushes. Grabbing one off the top, she set to work brushing the horses while Hopper shoveled shit and laid down fresh hay. Both of them ignored the other. Too mad to even hold a simple conversation. Finishing just as the last bit of light fades outside, they make their way back to the house. Kicking off their shoes before they go inside, they are met with the delicious smell of fryer grease and Joyce immediately heads upstairs towards the bathroom.

In the small linen closet at the back of the bathroom, Joyce finds some of the clothes that Mary has washed for her. Picking out a shirt that's two sizes too big and a pair of sweatpants, Joyce is still timid by the fact she actually has clothes in someone else's home. Why Mary and Greg put up with her she'll never know. Tuning on the water, she patiently waits for it to heat up before stepping into the shower.

The hot water cascades down her body, soothing her bruised muscles and surrounding her in a blanket of steam. She looks down over her body, taking inventory of scars, bruises, and bumps. What Hopper saw in her she would never know. Scars across her belly, shoulders, and hips that she would have to deal with for the rest of her life flashed up at her with every move she made. Sighing, she reached for her washcloth and soap she knew undoubtedly was Jim's. There was something she associated with being safe in that Old Spice smell. She washed quickly, shampooed her hair and was out within ten minutes. Wanting to make sure Hopper had enough warm water, she quickly dressed and left the bathroom.

Dinner paled in comparison to how it usually was every Thursday night. There were no giggles from the two teenagers or comments about work from Greg. Even Mary picked up on the strange behavior from the kids who were both picking at their plates. Jim was the first to ask permission to be excused. He placed his plate and silverware into the sink before going upstairs to shower. Joyce patiently waited until Mary and Greg had finished eating before she began cleaning the kitchen.

"Joyce you don't have to do that darlin', I got it taken care of." Mary's voice came over her shoulder as Greg left the kitchen, his recliner and the news on his mind.

"It's no problem Mrs. Hopper, I want to earn my keep."

Mary nodded, appreciative of the help, even though it wasn't needed. Once the dishes were clean and the table wiped down, Mary instructed her to go upstairs and get some rest. Joyce thanked her once again for her hospitality before heading up the short flight of stairs. She walked the familiar path to Hoppers bedroom and opened the door without thinking, just wanting to lie down for the night.

"Jesus! Ever heard of knocking?" Hopper yelled as he grabbed for the towel he was about to let fall from around his waist. He didn't miss the flush of Joyce's cheeks as she turned around long enough for him to slide on a pair of boxers.

Joyce didn't say a word as she went to his closet and pulled down her pillow and comforter. Folding her comforter, she placed it neatly on the ground followed by her pillow and just as she began to kneel Hopper's voice shot out from behind her.

"What are you doing Joyce?"

"Making my bed, what does it look like?"

"Umm well, it looks like you're making your bed on my floor, which isn't going to happen."

"And why not? it's the cleanest floor I've ever slept on. I should be honored really." She snips.

"Joyce you're not sleeping on the floor. Get your pillow and get in the bed." Hooper instructed, putting his hands on his hips for good measure.

"I'm not sleeping in the bed with-"

"Do you want me to throw you over my shoulder again?" He threatens.

"Hop I'm not-"

"Do you?" He asked again.

Hopper started the walk across his room to Joyce's figure and as he reaches her, his hands shoot out, grabbing her and picking her up.

"Okay! Okay! I give!" Joyce voiced as loud as she could without alerting Greg and Mary.

Hopper let go of her hips, placing her feet back on the floor.

"Always so grabby." Joyce hissed as she plucked her pillow up off of the floor.

"One day you will listen to me the first time and we won't have to argue about you being wrong." Hopper says with a smirk.

Climbing into Hopper's bed, Joyce laid on her uninjured side facing the window. Hopper walked across the length of his room and turned off the light, casting them into total darkness. She felt him crawl into bed and start to get comfortable, then not so gracefully threw his leg over hers.

"Why are you laying all over me?" Joyce huffs.

"What do you mean? I always sleep like this."

"No you don't, you just want an excuse to be close to me."

"Do you not want me close to you?"

"I didn't say that." She rolled over to face him, careful not to put too much pressure on her ribs.

"Well, what the hell do you want Joy! You want me to touch you, but not touch you. You want to sleep together, but not sleep in the same bed. You want me to ignore you at school, but be the center of my attention at home or the tree house. What do you want?! What can I do to make you happy?"

"I don't know!" She whisper screamed back at him as she scooted further away.

Arguing led to fighting and fighting led to hitting in Joyce's experience. She knew she would be fucked if she ever pushed Hopper over the edge and he lost his temper. Sensing her discomfort, Hopper began to count to twenty in his head, trying to calm the waves of emotions that were currently hitting him one after the other.

Reaching twenty, Hop lifted his hand to cup Joyce's cheek, only to have her flinch at his slight touch. The look of fright in her eyes alarmed him. Did she really think he would hurt her?

"I'm sorry Hop." she whispered, slowly trying to close the space between them.

"You know I would never do anything to hurt you right?" He questioned, gently laying his hand on her hip. Joyce nodded into his shoulder.

"I know, and you know it too. It's just a reflex. My fight or flight instincts kick in and I just have to get out of harm's way. There would be no way in hell I could take you on in a fight."

"Joyce, I promise you on everything I hold dear, that I will never lay a finger on you in anger. The only time I'll ever put my hand on you is to pull you closer, or grab your ass okay?" He hears her sigh and feels the weight literally fall off of her shoulders as she snuggles into him. He rests his cheek on the top of her head, giving her a moment to get her heart rate back under control.

"I was mad at the library today." She whispered, not even sure if he could hear her.

"Why were you mad?"

"It's hard to explain. I just turned the corner and you were there with her. She was hanging all over you, and all I wanted to do was pull her off by her hair and hit her."

Hopper lifts his head up and looks down at her. "You're jealous." He laughs, giving her a slight squeeze.

"No, I'm not jealous Hopper, it's just that she was touching you and…"

"She was touching what's yours and you weren't happy about it." He placed his cheek on top of her head again, trying to get comfortable in the full-size bed.

"Is that really what I felt in the library? Jealousy?"

Hopper intertwined their hands. "It's a hell of a feeling isn't it?"

"Yeah, I didn't like it at all. Not to mention, I didn't like her tongue down your throat."

"Well how about you put your tongue down my throat and we forget about Chrissy?" He whispered into her ear.

Her smile was all the consent he needed. Hopper leaned down and placed a slight kiss to her lips and when he felt her kiss him back, it was like every ounce of stress left his body. She gently gave his lip a questioning nip and he inhaled sharply at the sting. Gently, he put his hands on her hips and pulled her on top of him. Smiling at the sudden gasp leaving her lungs.

"Joyce, you know you're the only woman I want." He murmured as he ran his hands slowly down her sides and kissed her exposed neck.

"You're all I want too, Hop." She breathed, loving the feel of his lips on her neck. At her words Hopper stilled. Not truly wanting to believe she had said them out loud.

Running his hands through Joyce's hair, Hopper laid beneath her.

"Does this mean that you want to be with me?"

"You know I want to, more than anything, but we cant. I won't have you jeopardizing your future over a silly crush." Joyce whispered as she laid her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"You really think this is just a silly crush?"

"Hopper please, we can't. I cant. You deserve a woman who can give you the world without fear of what her father might do to the both of you." She sighed, half asleep.

Choosing his words carefully, Hopper kissed the top of her head. "I want all of those things from you Joyce. I just hope you're willing to give them one day."

Hopper was met with the sound of Joyce's soft snores. Her anger today had led to exhaustion, and the exhaustion has finally led to sleep. Holding her as tight as he could against his chest, he closed his eyes, dreaming about a day when that tree house wouldn't be the only place he could love her.


	3. Chapter 3

The agonizingly loud sound of Hopper's alarm sets Joyce's heart into a panic. She jumps as his arm leaves her side to smack at the snooze button on the nightstand and quickly starts falling back to sleep. His hand goes across her stomach, touching the soft skin close to her waist band and she sighs. Not wanting to leave the warmth of Hopper's bed, Joyce snuggles back into his chest and stretches lazily, her body perfectly aligned with his. Hopper's hand is back on her hip and Joyce loves the heat coming off of his body. It's not until he unconsciously thrusts his hips forward just a little bit that Joyce feels it. A part of Hopper she has never seen, matter less touched is wedged between her ass cheeks.

Joyce suddenly jumps out of his arms, not knowing where to go. Her sudden movements waking him.

"Joyce what's wrong?" He calls out, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with his thumbs.

"Umm Hop, you umm, your dick was uh…" Joyce couldn't finish her sentence, pointing down at Hopper's lap, he finally realizes what's happened.

"Shit." Hopper yells, grabbing for Joyce's pillow to cover his hard-on.

"Don't put my pillow on it!" She cries, moving back toward the bed.

"Well it's either your pillow or my hand, you make the decision!" Hopper yells back, trying to sit up without giving Joyce another show. His alarm goes off again, making both of them jump and he quickly yanked the cord out of the wall, the sudden silence of the room filled only with the sound of their breathing.

"Joyce, we knew this could happen. I'm a guy, and you're a very attractive girl and sometimes it just has a mind of his own and-"

"Hopper stop talking!" Joyce demands as she comes to sit on the edge of the bed. Hopper is still holding her pillow tightly over his middle.

"Look Hop, it's fine. It just took me by surprise that's all. I wasn't expecting to wake up to that first thing in the morning."

"So first thing in the afternoon is fine? Because that's what I'm hearing." Joyce huffs at Hopper's lame excuse for a comeback.

"That was so bad that if my pillow wasn't currently covering your dick I would throw it at your face."

"Well, I can always take it off." Hopper teases as he goes to move his hand.

"Don't you dare!" She scolds.

"Ok, ok." He laughs.

"Joyce?" Hopper calls out after a minute, watching as she shifts her line of vision from her hands to his face.

"How mad would you be if I said I liked how it felt?"

This time Joyce didn't care if she saw his dick. Quickly grabbing her pillow, she smacks Hopper with it. Knowing she's going to have to wash it before she uses again.

Hopper tries to cover his laugh with a cough and takes the pillow away from her so she doesn't hit him again. Looking down at the watch on his wrist, he realizes if they don't get a move on, they're going to be late.

"Come on Joy, I can drop you off close to the school and no one will be any wiser."

Missing the first two classes of the day had Joyce distraught. She was never late. So why in all the days she could have been, today was the day for her to miss a quiz. She had completely lost track of the date with everything going on this week.

Hopper didn't seem too concerned about anything at lunch as Joyce sat and watched him over the peanut butter and jelly sandwich had made for her that morning. He was sitting on top of one of the lunch tables, Chrissy sitting between his legs on the bench below. Her elbows were resting on his knees and that unfamiliar rage that accompanied jealousy filled her stomach again. Losing her appetite, Joyce put her sandwich back in its Ziploc, saving it for later. She got to her feet, attempting to throw her trash away when she felt eyes on her. Glancing up, her eyes met with Hoppers and he casually scratched the stubble on his chin with his pointer and middle finger.

Joyce instantly noticed his signal asking if she was okay. She replied with a roll of her eyes and glanced at Chrissy, before gathering her book bag and camera. She made her way to the front of the cafeteria and out the side door. The need for a cigarette was overbearing.

Yearbook was the last class she has for the day. Even though her classmate still didn't have a thing to do with her, it was easier knowing her work would be appreciated, or at least looked at fifteen years from now when her peers were flipping through their old class momento. Working on a piece for the wrestling team, Joyce flipped through her photos, taken one evening at a match with their school rivals. Hopper had their captain in one of his unbreakable holds.

Skimming through the rest of the photographs she had selected for this piece, Joyce noticed they all had the same key element. Hopper. She hadn't taken a single photo that didn't have him in it. She felt the skin of her collarbones begin to warm at the sight of him. He really was the perfect guy. He always had her back, in more ways than one.

Turning over the next photograph, Joyce wrinkled her nose in disgust. In the background, cheering Hopper on was Chrissy. Joyce remembered the conversation Chrissy and Hopper had in the hallway on Wednesday when she dropped her English folder. Where are we going on Friday night? Chrissy had questioned as Joyce stalked to the cafeteria. Hopper had a date with Chrissy tonight. Thankful she hadn't finished her lunch, Joyce neatly stacked the photographs into their folder, before dropping it into her bag.

The parking lot at school had cleared with the exception of Hopper's truck and Joyce hung back at the staff parking lot, ensuring no one would see her hanging about. When Hopper's tall frame came into view, she waited until he was at his truck before running toward him, the hood of her flannel coat covering her face.

Hearing the sound of running shoes, Hopper looked up, surprised to see Joyce hadn't already started the walk home. He grinned as he watched her gracefully jump through his driver's side door and scoot down into the floorboard of the passenger side.

"You know you don't have to sit down there Joyce. There is literally no one here who will see you riding shotgun." He chuckled as he climbed into his truck and slid his key into the ignition.

"Still too much of a risk. I don't want anyone to say anything that might compromise your date tonight." Joyce comments sourly and folds her arms in the passenger seat.

"Come on, you can't be mad at me for going on a date that you forced me to set up." Hopper stated, turning his truck out onto the main road. Adjusting himself in his seat, he did a quick check in his mirrors, before letting Joyce know the coast was clear. He watched as her small form uncurled from the floorboard and climbed into the seat. Without being prompted to do so, Joyce slid across the seat and right into Hopper's side. He quickly put his arm over her shoulders like he usually did and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Guess today was a little stressful for you huh?" He questioned, as he flicked on his turn signal and turned right onto Murkwood.

"You could say that. I'm just not feeling myself today." She sighed, snuggling closer to his chest.

"I don't have to go on that date tonight you know. I can stay home, we can eat some soup or watch a movie or something. Maybe hang out at the tree house? I can read one of those cheesy romance books aloud to you if you want." Hopper offered, already planning out a night with her in his arms.

"We can't do that Hop. You know as well as I do if you cancel on Chrissy she's just going to show up at the farm. Which would lead to me, and I don't have the energy to deal with her tonight."

They sat in silence for the remainder of the drive, neither one of them knowing what to say. Finally reaching the farm, Hopper and Joyce quickly knocked out his chores for the evening. The sun had started to set when they unceremoniously walked onto the porch of the farmhouse, sliding off their shit covered boots.

"I'm going to go jump in the shower real quick, you can hang out in my room if you want. You gotta help me pick a nice shirt to wear." Hopper whispered as they climbed the steps toward his room. Taking his suggestion to heart, Joyce followed him.

Sliding off her jeans and putting on a pair of his sweatpants, she laid across his bed, making sure to use his pillow and not her own as she waited for him to get out of the shower. Mary had recently bought him an Orange flannel shirt that Joyce had fallen in love with. It wasn't too tight but showed off his form nicely. Maybe that and a pair of his darker jeans. Probably his nicer boots instead of the ones out on the porch.

Hopper got out of the shower, trying not to focus on the feeling of dread in his stomach. He really didn't want to go on this date. There was just too much that needed to be done at the house. The hayride was coming up in a few weeks for Halloween, not to mention that a fence still needed to be mended on the western pasture and he still needed to put plastic over the windows at the tree house. All of this he and Joyce could be doing together, but no. She was forcing him to go on a date with Chrissy, even though she knew good and damn well that he didn't really even like her. Hell, he didn't even want to be in the same room as her. He just wanted Joyce. The kisses they had been sharing over the past few weeks were more than what he could have ever needed. He just didn't understand why she couldn't see that.

Quickly running his towel over his hair, Hopper wrapped it around his waist and left the bathroom. Ignoring the trail of steam that followed him down the hallway. Opening the door to his bedroom, his eyes land on Joyce's small frame, currently snuggled up in his bed, her arms wrapped around his pillow. The fight he had been wanting to pick dropped from his mind. She never fell asleep this early. Walking over to the bed, he sat down facing her. Her hair had fallen down into her face and he reached out as gently as possible to tuck the strand back behind her ear. When she didn't move, he knew she was out cold. Guess she hadn't been lying when she said she was exhausted.

Looking at his watch, Hopper saw it was seven-fifteen. He had told Chrissy he would pick her up at eight. Going to his dresser he pulled out a pair of boxers and slid them on under his towel. Once he was safe in the confines of his cotton prison, he let his towel fall to the floor. Walking to his closet, he picked out a shirt he thought would be suitable for the occasion. An Orange flannel that his mom had bought him earlier in the month. Grabbing a pair of jeans, he pulled them on, jumping a few times as he got them up onto his hips.

By seven-thirty he was ready to go physically, but mentally, he wasn't in the game. He had no desire to leave the farm or Joyce, not even for a few hours. She was still sleeping when he put on his cologne, looking peaceful while she slept. He wished she was that peaceful all the time. Squatting down in front of her, Hopper once again slid her unruly hair behind her ear.

"I wish it was you I was going out for a night on the town with." He whispered, not wanting to startle her. When she didn't move, he leaned down and ever so gently kissed her temple. He could have sworn that she sighed in her sleep. Standing, he covered her with his old quilt and turned the light off as he went out the door. On to a date he has been dreading for weeks.

Joyce awoke in total darkness. Taking in her surroundings, she realized she had fallen asleep in Hopper's bedroom. Sitting up on the bed she read the time on the clock. It was nine forty-five.

"Shit." She thought to herself as she climbed out of bed.

Grabbing a piece of paper out of Hopper's desk, Joyce wrote him a quick note saying she had gone to the tree house. Quickly signing her name, she grabbed her coat off the floor and headed downstairs. On the kitchen table was a bag full of snacks and clean sheets. Mary's familiar script was flowing across a sheet of paper saying she had stocked up on their usual supplies, washed the sheets, and was heading into town with Greg to get plastic for the tree house windows. The maternal feelings Mary always exuded for Joyce were lovely, if not entirely strange. Joyce wasn't her daughter and yet she treated her like one. Always making sure she had clothes on her back and food in her stomach. She hoped that one day she would be able to repay the Hoppers for everything they had done for her.

Picking up the bag of supplies off the table, Joyce made her way out onto the front porch. She grabbed the spare key from under the loose board of the bird feeder and locked the house up, then made her way to the tree house.

She knew the path by heart, not even needing a light to guide her and being alone out in the fields didn't scare her as it used to. Two years ago she wouldn't be caught outside after dark unless Hopper was with her, but now she had no fear, at least not of the animals that usually stalked about the outskirts of farm at night.

Careful not to step off the path that led to the tree house, she sighed when it came into view. Her supplies seemed to grow heavier with each step she took. Stuffing the bag into her book bag, Joyce began the climb up the ladder, careful not to drop her key for the lock in the process. Opening the hatch, she climbed up and into her sanctuary.

It looked the same as it had a few days ago with the exception of the dirty sheets and clothing missing from the corner. Mary probably swung by and grabbed them, and Greg to gauge the amount of plastic he would need. Her books were still in the corner and Hoppers .22 still on the gun rack on the opposite wall. Glancing at the floor she noticed the random bits of dirt and grass scattered around on the floor. She hadn't been feeling herself, and the cleanliness of the tree house shown the effects. Going to their small kitchen area, Joyce filled their baskets with the snacks Mary had left. Fluffing the small table cloth that sat atop their makeshift table, Joyce began to clean. It was what she had been trained to do, so to speak. Go to school, come home, and before you even think about doing your own thing, clean the house, cook dinner, and clean again before homework. If she was lucky, and her father didn't get angry, she could then take a shower, do her school work and go to her room, hopefully being able to lock the door before he noticed.

She once again opened the hatch to the tree house and began to sweep the dust and debris out onto the grassy field that her tree was surrounded by. Picking up the little piece of trash here and there, Joyce was finished in no time. She quickly closed the hatch and returned the broom to its corner. The little bit of cleaning she has done had drained her for some reason. All she wanted to do was lay in the bed and wait for Hopper to find her.

Moving the cushions from the couch, she stacked them neatly at the foot of the fold out. Adding a fresh sheet and comforter, Joyce climbed onto the bed, putting her back against the opposing armrest. Using what little moonlight that was flicking through the trees, Joyce found herself lost in a new novel, and not for the first time.

Chapters later, a rustling brought her out of her fictional wonderland. Glancing out of the big window she froze. A light was shining through the woods. Of the four people who knew where the tree house was, none of them needed a flashlight to find it. Her pulse started the quicken at the thought that her father had found her hideaway. What if he was trying to come and get her right now? Carefully getting up from the bed, Joyce tiptoed toward Hopper's gun rack.

When Hopper had first found out about her father's abuse, he had taught Joyce how to use his rifle.

"It won't kill them if you aim for an arm or leg, but it sure as fuck isn't going to feel good." He commented as he stood behind Joyce, showing her how to aim.

Remembering the hours of target practice by Hopper's house, she moved back to the couch, once again looking out the window to see the light had gotten closer. Sitting with her back to the wall and the twenty-two in her lap, Joyce watched as the flashlight circled the tree house twice. Not coming close enough for her to see who was wielding it, she watched it retreat back into the woods in the direction of her trailer.

Twenty minutes later, the sound of Hopper's secret knock filled the tree house as he opened the hatch. Joyce had the twenty-two pressed into her shoulder, not sure if someone had learned his secret knock.

"Jesus Christ Joy!" Hopper yelled as he climbed the rest of the way through the opening.

"What's going on, Why do you have my rifle out?" He asked, worry clear in his voice.

Joyce was off the couch and in his embrace in seconds. Wrapping her arms the best she could around Hopper's waist, she handed the rifle over to him.

"Joyce you're scaring me, please tell me what the hell is going on." He stated against her hair.

"There was someone out there Hop, out in the woods. They had a light and I know you and your parents don't need one. They left and headed east like they had walked here from my trailer! What if it was him? What if he found me?" The words rushed out of Joyce's mouth in a jumbled mess. Hopper could feel her shaking under his arm.

"Look, Joyce, it's okay. I'm here now. I'm here and nothing is going to happen to you okay? We need to calm down and catch our breath before you go into a panic attack. Just breathe." Hopper encouraged her as he put the safety back on the rifle and laid it across the small table.

"I can't keep doing this Hopper. One day he's going to find me and he's going to beat the shit out of me. It gets worse every time. You've seen what he can do."

"I know honey, I know just breathe okay, you're starting to scare me." He pleaded.

At the mention of Hopper being scared, Joyce began to focus on getting air into her lungs. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to recover from a panic attack when she was already exhausted, she sank against him. He carefully grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into his arms.

"I got you, Joy, I always do."

He placed her on the bed before toeing off his boots and unbuckling his belt.

"You shouldn't be out here now anyway, it's too cold without the windows covered."

"I don't want to be a burden on your family Hopper. They already do so much for me." She whispered as she picked at her fingernails, a habit Hopper knew meant she was nervous.

"Your not a burden Joyce. My parents love you, I love you. We will do anything for you and you know that." Standing to slide off his jeans, he begins to quickly unbutton his shirt. A small part of him is ecstatic that Joyce doesn't look away like she usually does. Sliding in beside her, he opens his arms.

"Come here and let me hold you."

It takes no more encouragement for Joyce to snuggle into his embrace. Her hand lands on his chest, absentmindedly playing with a few of the curls that started to appear two years ago. They lay there in silence, Joyce just breathing in the smell of him. His fingers are running through her hair, trying to soothe the anxiety he knows is bubbling beneath in her body. It's when Hopper shifts that Joyce smells a hint of a flowery perfume on him.

"How was your date?" She whispers into his collar. Hating the fact that she can smell her on him.

"Nothing special. Went and got a hotdog, and then she talked my ear off as we drove around. Then I took her home." He waited for Joyce's reply but she didn't say a word.

"I feel like you're mad at me." He stated as he pulled her closer.

"I feel like I'm mad at you." She began to pick at her fingers again. He put both of her hands in one of his to stop her.

"Let's just not talk about it okay? I just want to lay here with you. And I'll say it again, you are the only woman I want to be with."

"I know Hop. You don't know how much I hurt because I want to be with you too."

Hopper placed his thumb and pointer finger on her chin, encouraging her to tilt her head up. When her eyes met his in the dark, he ran his thumb over her bottom lip.

"All you have to do is say the word and I'm yours. For as long as you'll have me."

"That's what I'm afraid of. What if I want you forever and you decide you don't want me? I would be completely lost without you." She admits.

"You really think I wouldn't want you for the rest of my life? I want to be with you more than anything. Not just here, but everywhere. I want to walk down the street with you on my arm. Showing everybody that you're mine, and I'm yours."

Leaning down, Hopper placed a light kiss on her lips. He was overcome with joy when he felt her press back. He felt her nip him, asking permission to enter his mouth and he gladly offered her what she wanted, running his tongue across her lower lip. He felt her hands go up to his hair, carefully running her fingers through it where she gently pulled his head back, wanting access to his neck. He felt her place a kiss over the pulse point in his throat and the sensation of her tiny bites were doing things to him he had only thought about with her. His boxers were becoming snug with the excess flow of blood and before he knew what was happening Joyce was straddling his thighs.

"Joyce. I don't think you want to do that." He breathed out, not wanting his growing length to take her by surprise.

"I just want to sit right here okay Hop? Just let me be close to you for a while, I promise I'm not going to do anything else. I just want you to be close to me."

Hoppers' hands are resting on Joyce's hip as she once again lays her head on his chest. He's sure she can hear the pounding of his heart beneath her ear. His hand moves to the small of her back where he lets it rest. Staying like this for hours, Joyce's exhaustion is more than she can handle, she's sleeping against his chest and Hopper doesn't move a muscle.

The weekend goes by in a blur of chores and helping winterizing the tree house. This weekend is the Hoppers Hayride for Halloween. With so much to do and so little time to do it, snuggle sessions between Hopper and Joyce have become scarce. They have mowed the lawns, decorated the farm for Halloween, started working on canning vegetables from the garden. The tree houses windows are now covered with thick sheets of plastic, and the back deck has been reattached. By the time Sunday rolls around, everyone on the farm is exhausted. Greg is called into the station to deal with an arrest warrant that has dropped in his lap. Kissing Mary on the cheek he heads out the door waving to the kids who are sitting on the front porch swing. The sight of Greg pulling out of the driveway reminds Joyce that she has run out of her necessities from home.

"Hop I have to go to the trailer." Joyce says as she threads her fingers with his.

"Whatever you need from the trailer I can get for you tomorrow after school."

"You don't understand, I'm bloated and I'm cramping. I need to go get that stuff. Not to mention my Halloween costume is still there."

"Come on Joyce, you know I can get whatever you need. I don't want you to go back to that place." He says with a note of finality in his voice.

"It's Sunday Hopper, he won't be there. I'll climb in my window like I always do, grab my stuff and bolt. You can meet me at the tree house and help me get everything inside. We will be back in time for dinner, I promise you."

He squeezes her hand. "I don't know, I have a bad feeling about this."

"I have to go. If I'm not back in an hour, you'll know where I'm at. You can simply swoop in and rescue me okay?"

Sighing, he lets go of her hand. She takes that as her signal to go.

Hopper is looking down at his watch. "You have exactly one hour Miss Horowitz. If you're not back by then I'm storming that trailer got it?"

"Yes sir." Joyce laughs as she gives him a small salute before leaving the porch and heading toward the fields.

The closer she gets to the trailer, the more anxious she becomes. Hopper was right as usual, something doesn't feel right. Climbing over a fallen tree, the small trailer she has lived in off and on since she was three comes into view. It's brown with rust and a lack of cleaning. Her small front porch should be condemned just by itself. Keeping to the woods, she walks up to her bedroom window and listens for any sign of movement inside. Finding the coast clear, Joyce steps on top of the cinder blocks below and slowly opens the window. Pulling herself through, she tumbles over the threshold landing firmly on her shoulder. She fights through the discomfort of falling at such a weird angle and rights herself. Sitting up and regaining her composure Joyce stands to her feet with the help of her dresser.

"Well, Well, look who finally decided to bring her ass home." A voice as cold as snow echos through her bedroom. Her heart rate doubles in seconds.

Stepping out from the empty space between her dresser and her bookshelf is her father. "I was wondering when you were going to bring your sorry ass home. Figured you wouldn't be too much longer. It's been about two weeks since you snuck in here last." Travis has moved so close she can smell the whiskey on his breath.

"Figured you just come sneaking back like you always do, taking what you haven't earned. You think just because it's in this house that you have some sort of claim to it?"

Joyce tries to steady her breathing as Travis runs his finger up her throat. Her knees have started to tremble and she anticipates the harsh hit she knows is coming. Looking down, he notices Joyce's jacket.

"Where did you get this thing at? I know you can't afford it on your own. You got you a sugar daddy out there somewhere?" Joyce doesn't answer, not wanting to give away any information that could lead back to the Hoppers. A hand smacks across her face so fast Joyce didn't see it coming and the all too familiar sting flashes across her cheek. She doesn't reach her hand up to touch the reddened skin. Knowing it just eggs him on.

"You're going to break into my house and then ignore me?!" Her father yells, his spit flecking onto her face and neck. He reaches out and grabs her tightly by her upper arms and she knows she is going to have bruises there. Just like she already has on her ribs.

"You're not going to leave this time you little bitch." He yells and smacks the same cheek again. Unable to fight back the tears that come with trauma to the face, she keeps her mouth shut, refusing to give him the satisfaction that she's hurting.

Grabbing Joyce by her hair, he pulls her into the living room. His favorite place to deliver punishment since the room is bigger than the bedrooms, allowing him more range to swing and kick.

"I'm going to teach you to leave again, and when I'm done with you, you won't be able to climb through any windows matter less walk." Joyce scrunches her face up, prepared to take whatever he wants to give to make through the twenty or so minutes she has until Hopper comes looking for her.

Banging at the door startles her, making her jump under her father's hand.

"Mr. Horowitz, this is the Hawkins Police Department. We know your inside, we heard you talking. Open the door or we're coming in!" A voice yelled from the other side of the front door. Grabbing Joyce by her neck, he pushes her onto the couch.

Crouching down in front of her he whispers into her ear. "Not a word from you or I'm going to break your arm, got it?"

Joyce nods her head and watches as Travis walks to the door, straightening his shirt as he goes. Opening the door, Joyce sees Greg Hopper taking up the width of the frame. Greg takes a look into the house, spotting her on the couch and then looks back to Travis.

"What can I do for your chief?" He asks, bringing his practiced charade to life.

"Mr. Horowitz, I have a warrant for your arrest. Seems you missed your court date on Friday."

"My court date is set for the 25th chief." Joyce's father spits back as he places his arms across his chest and leans into the door frame.

"Yes, sir, and today's date is the 27th. Now, why don't you go ahead and turn around and we can get this done and over with? Mary has dinner on the stove and I'm ready to go home." Glancing behind Greg, Joyce saw three more deputies at the ready. Knowing he wouldn't have a chance in hell of running, her father slowly turns around. His eyes back on Joyce.

"I'll deal with you when I get back. Don't you leave this house." He threatens.

"You alright over there Miss Horowitz?" Greg's voice calls as his deputies put her father in the back of their squad car. Joyce is afraid to move. Knowing her father can see her through the open window.

Greg steps out onto the porch, instructing the deputies to head back to the station. Letting them know he was going to take a statement from Joyce then head home. Not needing to be told twice, they follow their chief's orders. He waits for the deputies and her father to pull out of the driveway before he is at her side.

"Joyce, darlin are you alright?" Greg asks as he squats down in front of her. He can see the unmistakable hand print on the side of her face and places his hand on her knee, not wanting to startle her by touching her face.

"What were you doing here? You know if you needed anything we would get it for you."

"I don't want to be any more of a burden than I already am." She whispered so quietly Greg barely hears her.

"Honey you're not a burden. You know if you just let us help you the legal way you wouldn't have to see him ever again. I can make him go away."

Joyce shook her head. "Everyone would know. I would be treated as more of a freak than I already am." She's continuing to fight the tears that are wanting to leave her body, the only way of coping she has left. Knowing she's going to break soon, Greg helps her stand up.

"Come on darlin, get what you came for and let's go home. We're going to clean you up and put a hot meal in you. I'm sure Jim is starting to go stir crazy worrying about you." Joyce nods and stands shakily on her feet, but loses her balance and grabs onto Greg for support. She doesn't realize she hugging him until he wraps his arms around her. She's crying into his pressed uniform shirt, not even caring she's leaving tear stains on it. Greg simply holds her, letting her cry and patting her head until she can't cry anymore. Finally catching her breath she steps back from him. Trying to hide the shame she feels for breaking down in front of him, she walks into her bedroom and quickly grabs her Halloween costume and the remainder of her clothes. Greg loads her stuff into his Suburban and helps her climb into the seat.

"Come on Joyce, let's go home."


	4. Chapter 4

Monday morning reared its ugly head in the form of a cold for Joyce. Everything hurt. Her face, her hands, even her teeth, but no amount of coaxing from Hopper or Mary could keep her from school. She had already missed class on Friday because of Hopper's boner and she wasn't going to miss more because of a little cold. However, she was going to dress as comfortably as she could to make her day a little bit easier.

Finally crawling out of Hopper's bed, she pulled on her favorite sweatpants, a long sleeve shirt, and the new to her flannel coat. She didn't miss the look of concern Hopper gave her as Mary attempted to help her cover up her father's latest work.

"All I'm saying Joyce, is that you don't have to go to school. There is no way you can fail. Your grades are way too good." Hopper called from the doorway as he watched his mother layer some kind of makeup on her face.

"Jim, if she says she feels okay enough to go, then let her go. You can always bring her home if she gets worse." His mother scolded as she looked over Joyce's face.

"You're good to go dear." Mary informed her in that maternal manner she always seems to have.

"Thanks, ."

"Joyce you can call me Mary honey, or mom, or whatever makes you comfortable okay? We're way past the formal stages of name-calling." Mary laughed as she gathered her makeup off of the counter. Joyce slipped out the bathroom door under Hopper's arm before he could try to talk her out of missing school again. After fifteen minutes of attempted breakfast, Hopper's antics, and a round of medicine, Joyce had enough of Hopper bugging her.

"Look, if it will shut you up I'll make a deal with you." She sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Alright, I'm listening." Hopper mumbled, still wanting Joyce to stay home and rest, but he quickly turned a chair from the dining table around and straddled it. Munching on a piece of toast he waited on Joyce's proposition.

"I'm still going to attempt to go to school, however..." Joyce continued as Hopper opened his mouth. "I'll ride with you to school instead of waiting on the bus."

Hopper continued to chew his toast, acting as if he was thinking over her offer. Finally swallowing, he cleared his throat.

"Fine, but if I see you puking or anything at school I'm bringing your ass home. Got it?"

"Jim language in the house!" Mary scolded over her first cup of coffee.

"Deal." Joyce held out her hand to Hopper. Giving it a quick shake, the teens finished their breakfast before grabbing their book bags off of the mudroom floor. Stepping out into the cool October air, Joyce was beyond thankful that Hopper had given her his old coat. It was drizzling, adding to the spooky vibe that seemed to flow from Hawkins once the leaves started to turn.

Hopper opened the passenger side door to allow Joyce to climb inside the cab. Jumping behind the wheel in seconds, Hopper quickly turned the key so he can get the heat going.

"I'm trying Joyce, I know you're freezing, I can see you shivering from here." He comments as he grabs a cigarette out of his coat pocket. He quickly lights it, taking in a lung full of smoke, then holds his hand out. She shakes her head without a word. They are driving down Main Street. Hopper has the radio playing quietly, not wanting to make Joyce feel worse with loud music first thing in the morning. Pulling into the student lot, he doesn't miss the double takes people are giving his truck as she searches for a parking spot.

"Promise you'll tell me if you want to go home?" He asks, making it seem like he was messing with his radio instead of talking to her in his truck.

"I promise Hop. I'll see you at lunch okay?" She gently takes his hand in hers and gives it a slight squeeze. Grabbing her book bag, she exits the truck, pulling her hood up against the drizzle that has now become a light rain. Hopper sighs as he watches her walk toward the school. Her shoulders are hunched against the wind, and he has a feeling in his gut that today isn't going to be a good day.

Today fucking sucks Joyce thinks to herself as she slowly makes her way through the crowded hall and into the loud cafeteria. She winces at the screams and raucous laughter of her fellow students. You would think some of them didn't have basic manners instilled into them, or maybe Joyce was the only teenager in Hawkins who had been so scared to fuck up she made a point to be quiet. Finding her usual table in the corner of the cafeteria, she lays her book bag down on the floor, thankful to be free of the burden that is thirty pounds of school texts and notebooks. As graceful as a fish out of water, she flops down onto the cold bench and rubs her eyes. Her congestion had worsened since this morning, making breathing out of her nose impossible.

Maybe Hopper was right, I should have stayed home today she thought, pulling her hood up and laying her head down on the lunch table. Hoping a short nap would at least get her through until the end of the day, Joyce lightly dozed. She didn't even care at this point if someone threw trash at her or was talking shit from across the lunchroom.

The feeling of a cold hand on her forehead roused Joyce from her nap. She didn't have the energy to pull away from whoever was touching her.

"Just leave me alone." She begged, too tired to sit up.

"Jesus, Joyce, you're burning up," Hopper's voice sounded from her right.

"Hop, what are you doing? People can see." She whispered, not wanting to draw attention if it hadn't been drawn already.

"I don't care. You're sick and I need to take you home. You haven't moved in fifteen minutes."

"It's called a nap Hop, you should take one every now and again." Her scratchy voice replied as she lifted her head off of the table.

Just as Hopper was about to give Joyce yet another speech on her health, a shadow loomed over the lunch table.

"Jim? What are you doing sitting here with this loser?" Chrissy's voice thundered, making Joyce want to shove her fingers in her ears.

"She's my neighbor Chrissy, if my mom knew she was sick and I didn't check on her, she would have my ass." Hopper smoothly replied, his eyes not leaving Joyce's face.

"Obviously she's still breathing, that's all you need to worry about." Chrissy griped, moving to stand in front of Hopper, who now had his back to the table. Joyce closed her eyes, wishing for the room to stop spinning. She barely saw Chrissy sit down in Hoppers' lap and place one of her arms around his shoulder, making Joyce smirk. Was this girl really trying to pull something territorial over him? The thought made her laugh, which earned a glare from Chrissy.

"And what's so funny trash princess? I see you found a newer pair of sweatpants, what did they set you back huh? Six months of rent?"

"Chrissy, stop calling her that. She's not some random street trash and you know it." Hopper hissed. He could feel that familiar heat rising up his neck.

Joyce felt her throat start to tighten, spit pooling in her mouth.

"And why do you care what I call her Jim? You looking to be the prince of trash now?" Chrissy snipped, reaching out from her perch on Hopper's lap to shove Joyce's shoulder.

Joyce sits up, turning her back to the table as well. She swallows, not wanting to fight with her.

"Hop, I think I-" Joyce starts before she interrupted by Chrissy.

"Hop? She has a pet name for you?" Enraged Chrissy moves from Hopper's lap to stand in front of Joyce.

"You got a little crush on my boyfriend?" Chrissy questions loudly, drawing the attention of the cafeteria.

"Chrissy that's enough." Hopper growls, knowing the situation is quickly spiraling out of control.

"Hop, I don't feel so good..." Joyce whispers, reaching out to him without thinking of who they are in front of. Seeing her hand moving toward Hopper, Chrissy smacks it away, deterring her from touching Hopper's arm.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? Trying to touch Jim like you have some kind of claim on him!" Chrissy yells, bringing what onlookers who weren't already watching to join the show.

"Hop, I think-"

"Chrissy I said that's enough!" Hopper yelled, interrupting Joyce as he stands up from the table. Following his lead, Joyce stands, her knees shaking beneath her. Trying her best to keep herself between Hopper and Joyce, Chrissy moves, facing Joyce, her hands on her hips.

"Where do you think you're going Horowitz? He's mine!"

"I'm not yours Chrissy, Jesus I don't belong to anyone, I'm a fucking human being!"

"Hop-"

"We went on a date Jim, which means we are dating!" Chrissy shouts.

"Hopper-"

"That doesn't mean were official! I never asked you to be my girlfriend!"

"Hopper!" Joyce practically yells as she quickly taps him on the shoulder.

"What?!" He yells back, getting caught up in the emotions that are surrounding their small table.

That's when the vomit Joyce had been trying to hold back, spews from her mouth, and right onto Chrissy pretty pink sweater.

The cafeteria is silent. No one dared to breathe.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Chrissy screams, as she tries, and fails to find something to wipe her shirt with. Joyce just stands in front of her, wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve.

"I think I'm going to puke..." Joyce mutters, trying not to let out a small laugh at the look on Chrissy's face.

"You bitch! I'm going to fucking kill you!" Chrissy screams as she lunges for Joyce. Hopper quickly steps in front of her, not even caring that he is getting puke all over his boots.

"Miss Carpenter, my office now!" A loud male voice rings through the cafeteria. Principal Shepherd stood several feet away from them, both of his hands on his hips. "Go to the nurse's station for a clean shirt on your way. As for you Mr. Hopper, take Miss Horowitz home immediately. I don't want a virus spreading around the school."

"Yes Sir." Hopper replied, grabbing Joyce's book bag off the floor.

"Sorry about your sweater Chrissy, I'm sure I have something in your size if you want to come over some time" Joyce quickly called out as Hopper led her out of the cafeteria.

The rest of the week Hopper and Joyce both stay home. Taking turns puking and cleaning the bathroom. Mary babies them with chicken noodle soup, rounds of medications and lots of sleep. By Saturday, all fevers, and coughs are gone, much to the relief of the two teens. Saturday is Halloween, the second favorite holiday of the year for the citizens of Hawkins. The annual hayride which is held at the Hopper's Farm is set to start at sundown. Children and families of all sizes flock there for food, freight and of course candy. Joyce and Hopper are upstairs, both getting into their costumes for the evening.

Joyce is dawning a traditional witch costume, which is way more form fitting then she would like. Then again, actually showing off the curves of her body feels good for once. Her costume has shrunk a little since last year, making the fabric stick to her hips and chest like a second skin. As she smooths down her hair and puts on her witch's hat, she hears Hopper let out a whistle.

Turning around, Joyce finds Hopper standing in the center of the room. His chest is puffed out, and his hands on his hips doing his best superman pose. The tan uniform he's dawning shows off the muscles he has gained from years of working on the farm. A toy gun is in a holster on his hip, along with a pair of handcuffs.

Joyce can't help but laugh as she walks toward him.

"Oh no, officer is something wrong?" She playfully teases as Hopper opens his arms and allows her to step into them.

"Yes, ma'am there has been a disturbance call placed for a naughty witch at this address. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" He jokes, not being able to keep a straight face.

"What did you have to bribe your dad with to make him let you borrow this?" She asked curiously.

"Oh nothing much, just had to promise I'd stick around the house tonight with a certain girl, handing out candy instead of scaring the shit out of people."

"Ahh so not too much then." Joyce giggles as she runs her fingers over the gold name tag on the right side of Hopper's chest.

"You look really good in this uniform Hop. Thinking of following in the footsteps of your old man?"

"Hell Joyce, I don't know what I'm doing next week, matter less after school." He laughs as he runs his hands down her arms and continues until he finds her hands.

"All I'm saying is you can totally pull it off, Hop. Just gotta grow a mustache and you're the new Chief of Police in Hawkins."

"A mustache huh? Think I can pull it off?"

"Without a doubt chief." Joyce smiles, standing up on her tiptoes, but still unable to reach Hopper's lips. Pouting, Joyce stares up until Hopper leans slightly down to her level.

"And what exactly are you doing ma'am? Bribing a cop with bodily favors is against the law." He murmurs, bringing his hands down to rest on her hips.

"I'm not bribing you with anything officer, just practicing putting a spell on you. Is it working?"

"More than you can imagine." Hopper places a light kiss to Joyce's forehead. Hearing the doorbell ring, the two take a second longer to admire each other before pulling apart.

"Come on Chief, we have candy to hand out." Joyce calls, walking out of the bedroom with Hopper hot on her heels.

"Trick or Treat!" A group of kids call out from the bottom step of the front porch.

"Oh my goodness your costume is beautiful!" Joyce coo's over the kids who are patiently standing with their candy bags open at the ready.

"What do you say kids?" Their mother says from the sidewalk.

"Thank you, and Happy Halloween." They reply back in unison as they bound down the sidewalk. Their mother gives a quick wave as she goes after her children, all of who are already talking about what candy they want to trade. Joyce sits down on the top step, thankful that her top is long-sleeved. Moments later a coat is dropped down onto her shoulders. Turning back, she sees Hopper coming back from the front door, his father's winter coat is being adjusted around his shoulders.

"Gotta keep up with appearances ya know, being the Chief is a tough job." He jokes as he adjusts his belt. Sitting down beside Joyce, Hopper rests his hand on her knee. Peeking into the bowl in Joyce's hand, he pulls out a candy bar and carefully rips the wrapper.

"Hey! These are for the kid's officer." Joyce scolds as she grabs a candy bar for herself.

"Well, I think those kids were the last of the trick or treaters anyway. It's going on midnight ya know? I mean look, even mom and dad are heading back to the house." He comments at the sight of his parents approaching the house, hand in hand. Spotting the kids on the porch, they watch as Mary whispers something into Greg's ear, causing a smile to spread across the man's face.

"That's a smile saying if we want to sleep tonight, we should go to the tree house." Hopper whispers as he places the candy wrapper in his coat pocket.

"Hey, parents have to get it on every now and again too." Joyce whispers back, laughing at the playful shove Hopper gives her with his shoulder.

"How did it go tonight kids?" Greg asked as they approach the steps.

"Everything was fine, had about sixty kids come by and still got plenty of candy to munch on the next few days." Joyce stated, shaking the half-full bowl for emphasis.

"That's up to you kids, I don't need anything else sweet. It goes straight to my gut." Greg laughs as he pats his belly.

"Y'all going to the tree house tonight?" Mary asks, trying not to be too direct with her question.

"Yeah mom, figured we've been in your hair long enough this week. It's time for some you time ya know?" Hopper comments as he stands to his feet. That's when Joyce notices just how much Hopper looks like his father. Both of them are tall, even for a man. Broad shoulders, narrow hips. The only difference between the two is the laugh lines on Greg's face and his blonde hair.

"Don't go messing up my uniform Jim, I only have ten others that look exactly like it." Greg laughs as he follows Mary up the steps.

"Y'all be careful going to the tree house okay? It's Halloween, ain't no telling what kind of ghosts are out in those fields." Mary points her finger at the two of them.

"Yes ma'am, we'll be careful." Joyce comments, as she stands, wobbling slightly in her heels.

"We'll see y'all tomorrow when we start cleaning everything up. Goodnight you two." Greg calls from the front door as he carefully closes it. The sound of the deadbolt sliding home rings out onto the porch before Hopper and Joyce are met with silence.

"Guess they really want to get to it." Hopper states as he takes Joyce's hand in his. Mindful of where she is walking, Joyce follows Hopper out toward the east pasture.

"Hold on a second, we have a little detour to take." Hopper whispers closely to her ear.

"What do you mean a little detour?"

Following Hopper to the horse stables, Joyce cringes when the loud moan of the barn door opening rips through the air.

"Hopper, what are you doing?" She whispered, not wanting to accidentally step into a horse patty.

Hopper is back outside the barn in seconds. He quietly closes the door, before returning to Joyce's side, a bottle of whiskey in his hand.

"Where did you get that from?" She questions as they began to make their way toward the tree house.

"So dad and I had another tiny part of that deal we made. He said that if we went to the tree house tonight so he and mom could have some alone time, he would let me have what's left in this bottle." Hopper states, turning the bottle over in his hand.

"Wow, your dad actually said he would allow you to drink underage so he can get laid?"

"I guess getting some makes a man do crazy things." He smirks.

"Hopper don't talk like that, it's your parents it's gross." Joyce says as they step off the trail and into the woods.

"I'm just saying Joy. My mom must be amazing in the sack if he's willing to share this with me." Joyce wrinkled her nose at the mere thought of Mary and Greg messing around.

"Okay stop now, I don't want to imagine your mom and dad getting it on."

Standing at the base of their tree, Hopper unscrews the cap off of the bottle.

"Ladies first?" He puts the bottle under Joyce's nose, allowing her to smell the whiskey.

"You're such a gentleman Officer Hopper." She smirks, taking the bottle from his hands and bringing it to her lips. Taking a few small sips from the bottle, Joyce quickly hands it back to him, who is trying his best not to laugh at the face she is making.

"Whoa, that shit burns!"

"Well yeah Joyce, it's whiskey, it's supposed to burn." Hopper takes a long drink for himself. He swallows and slightly gasps for air.

"It's whiskey it's supposed to burn." Joyce mocks as Hopper winces.

"Get your ass on that ladder women!" Hopper jokes, walking closer to it.

"Don't you be looking up my dress sir, I'm a lady and I will be treated as such!"

"Yes ma'am I won't look up your dress, scouts honor." Hopper holds up a three-finger salute with his right hand. The left, still dutifully holding their bribed whiskey.

"Do you know how hard it's going to be climbing up this ladder in heels?" Joyce says over her shoulder as she begins her journey up.

"Don't worry Joyce, if you fall, I will try my best to catch you. Or at least break your fall." Hopper chuckles as Joyce pulls herself through the hatch.

Putting the bottle underneath his chin, Hopper quickly climbs up after her.

She's already taken her heels off, and throws them into a corner. Now without the added height, and Hopper's boots still on, she is eye level with his sternum.

"How do you always end up being so much taller than me?" She whines, placing her hands on her hips. "Hell, you can probably see clear over my hat cant you?"

"I mean, I would be lying if I said no." Hopper giggles, taking another drink from the bottle.

"Come on, let's get the bed pulled out before you get too plastered." Joyce laughs from beside the couch. She's already taking the pillows off of the fold-out when Hopper joins her, a fresh sheet in his hand. They quickly make their bed, before deciding to get comfortable. Joyce walks toward her clothes, which have now all been moved to the tree house. She's looking for her favorite pajama pants when she feels Hopper step up behind her.

"Can I help you officer?" She asks, turning around to wrap her arms around his waist.

"Mhmm, I don't know if you can ma'am. You haven't seen a devilishly handsome man running around here have you?"

"Can't say I have Officer."

"Ouch, that one hurt Joyce." He laughs, placing his hand over his heart, feigning a life-threatening chest wound.

Reaching for the bottle in Hopper's hand, Joyce unscrews the cap, taking a much longer drink than she did back on the ground.

"I can see how this can mess someone up." She coughed as she handed it back to Him. The amount of liquid left in the bottle was significantly lower than when they had retrieved it from the barn.

"Me too, guess that's why the old man only lets me have it on special occasions." Hopper's voice is lost in Joyce's neck. She doesn't know if it's the whiskey or her own selfish need, but she allows Him to kiss down her skin. The feel of his stubbled cheek sends goosebumps all over her arms. His hands are on her hips again. His thumbs rubbing along her pointy hip bones and she doesn't realize they are swaying until Hopper pulls away from her neck.

"What are you doing Hop?"

"I think the adults call it, dancing." He laughs, standing up to his full height, she's at least a foot shorter than him.

"Oh is that what we're doing? A witch and the Chief of Police, dancing in a tree house on Halloween. Sounds like a horror movie waiting to happen." She giggles, resting her head on his chest.

"I mean, I'd pay to see it. Just saying." He commented bringing his right hand to the small of her back while his left held her hand.

"Whatever you do, don't step on my feet, those boats you have would break my toes."

"Come on Joyce, they aren't that big."

"Hopper you wear a size thirteen! I wear a six. That's over double the size!"

"Shhhh, this is a time for dancing, not mathing."

"Is mathing even a word?"

"This is not the time for English lessons either. Less talking, more dancing." Hopper murmured into the top of Joyce's head. A few moments later, they come to a stop. Standing in the middle of the tree house, Hopper leans down and places a kiss on her lips.

"Thanks for the dance chief." She whispers slightly pulling away.

"Anytime ma'am."

"Come on, let's get out of these costumes, I'm getting tired."

Joyce is back on the other side of the room. A pair of pajama pants in her hand.

"Will you?" She asks Hopper as she gathers her hair over her left shoulder. He quickly drinks the last bit of whiskey from the bottle before walking toward her. Hopper couldn't say what it was about Joyce's neck that always made him think inappropriate thoughts, but he stroked one finger down the length of it, making her shake. Gently pulling the zipper down, Hopper placed his lips to her neck, giving it a slight nip.

"Next year you need to go as a vampire for Halloween." She breathes, not noticing the slight hitch in her voice.

"Why, you want me to bite you?"

"And what if I say yes?" Joyce asks, turning once again to face him.

"I'd say it's inappropriate for me to leave bite marks on you where anyone could see."

"Who said anything about you leaving them on my neck?" Joyce whispers. She starts to unbutton Hopper's uniform shirt, agonizingly slow, one button at a time.

"Joyce, what are you doing?" Hopper questions, his voice dropping an octave.

"Just getting into a little mischief on Halloween, if that's okay with you chief?"

Hopper doesn't say a word. He simply moves his hands, allowing Joyce to continue her work as her small fingers untuck his shirt from his pants. She's reaching up, trying to push his shirt off his shoulders, but not quite able to reach.

"Why don't we lay down huh? Make it easier for you to reach everything?" Hopper suggests, already sliding the holster and toy gun from his belt.

"It's as if you read my mind, Hop." Joyce laughs, turning to slide her dress off of her shoulders. Hopper doesn't even pretend to look away. Joyce is standing with her back to him in nothing but a bra and panties and he's shocked when he notices they match. The dark color a cool contrast to the tone of her skin. Before his eyes can get their fill, she's pulling an oversized shirt over her head and turning to face him. Joyce carefully took off her bra, pinpointing the exact moment that Hopper's eyes focused on her chest. Walking over to him, she looks down his body, noticing a slight bulge that he normally hid so well.

"Let me help you with your boots." She whispered, turning around and placing both of her feet on either side of his left leg. She bends over and began to unlace his boots, her ass is right against the seam of his pants. Hopper carefully reaches out, not wanting to startle her and places his hands on her hips, ever so slightly pulling her back into him.

"Jesus Joy, are you trying to kill me?" He practically growls as she pulls off his first boot.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Hop." She innocently says over her shoulder as she starts unlacing the next boot, swaying a bit to the effects of the alcohol.

"Uh-huh, sure you don't." He breaths, trying to focus on anything but her ass against him. Before he's ready, Joyce slides his other boot off and moves away from his body.

"Come on, I'm cold" She says, crawling into the bed.

Hopper's fingers are shaking so bad it takes him a second to undo his belt. Finally releasing the clasp, he unbuttons his pants and carefully lets down his zipper. He knows Joyce can see the size of him through his boxers and he's tempted to run his hand down the front of them. He quickly pulls his undershirt over his head, slides off his socks, and climbs into bed deciding not to tease her.

Moonlight is coming in through the big window, casting shadows from the branches outside along the bed. Joyce is laying on her side, watching Hopper as he places the covers over his waist. She scoots closer to him wanting to feel the warmth of his body. Once he's in reach, she places a kiss on his neck, right over his pulse point, but before she could stop herself, shes nipping and kissing down the length of it.

"Maybe you should be the vampire next year." He gasps as she gives a rougher bite to his skin.

"Hmm, I think it would like it better if you were the vampire." She whispers against him.

"Your wish is my command."

Hopper is on top of her in seconds, his lips meeting her neck. He feels her move beneath him, doing nothing but forcing even more blood down beneath his stomach. He's licking and biting Joyce on the neck, encouraged by her hand on his bicep.

"Hopper, you can't really leave a mark on me. Your parents would freak." She gasps out as he sucks the skin of her throat into his mouth.

"Then I'll just leave my mark where they won't see it." He whispers as his hand reaches under her shirt, skimming the skin on her rib cage. He feels her body arch into his touch. His hand resting at the bottom of her sternum. Hopper can feel the heat coming from her breast. So close, but just out of reach. Looking up, Hopper meets Joyce's eyes and she's biting her lip in anticipation. Giving him a nod, Joyce takes in a sharp breath and she feels Hopper's hand completely cover her breast. He can feel her nipple hardening under his palm almost instantly. Carefully adjusting his hand, he rolls the hardening bud between his fingers, smiling to himself with the soft moan that's sitting in Joyce's throat. Sitting up, he brings her with him. Raising the hem of her shirt, he carefully slips the fabric over her head, completely exposing all of her for the first time. She's perfect. Joyce tries to bring her hands up to cover herself, but Hopper stops her.

"Please don't hide from me Joyce, you're so beautiful, I just want to see you, please." He begs, moving closer to rest his chest on her stomach. She slowly moves her arms away, allowing him to see all of her. Reaching out, he palms her again. Fascinated by the feel of her soft skin.

"I'm sorry they're not that big." She whispers, laying back down on the bed.

"Joyce, your beautiful just the way you are."

He's at her collar bone, kissing down to her sternum, nipping and licking along the way. Joyce reaches out, running her hands through his hair. She gives a slight pull, coaxing him downward. Hopper leaves a trail of light kisses over to her nipple. Looking up to Joyce to make sure she's okay, Hopper keeps eye contact as he sucks the tight bud into his mouth, where he's rewarded with a soft moan. Instantly, Joyce is pushing her chest out, wanting Hopper to be even closer to her body and he gently bites her, loving the way she's squirming beneath him. His right hand moves to her other breast, rolling her nipple between his fingers, while his tongue lashes out against the other. With a slight pop, he pulls away, kissing just above her nipple, then sucks her skin into his mouth, loving the way she tastes. He's careful not to hurt her, but wanting to make his claim, he bites and sucks for as long as she can stand. Finally, when he feels her pull his hair again, he releases her, smiling down at the bruise that's going to peek out from the top of her bra.

"You're mine, Joyce." Hop says, resting his head on her chest, looking up into her eyes lovingly.

"I'm yours Hop." She sighs, falling back into the pillows with him still laying on her chest. The effects of exhaustion, whiskey, and hormones, lures the two to sleep, neither of them worrying about the headache they are more than likely going to have tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

Three days. Three amazing days Joyce didn't have to worry about a single thing. The slight hangover that endured Sunday had been long gone. School had surprisingly gone well, no one wanted to come near her for fear of projectile vomiting. Hopper constantly left cute little notes in her locker, all of which had some kind of cheesy vampire joke on them. Normally she would have quickly put a stop to it, afraid someone would see him lingering around and start asking questions, but after finding out it wasn't a prank, she realized how much she enjoyed the attention. The simplicity of them is what made it so special, so very Hopper. Just those few words written on a crumpled piece of notebook paper propelled her emotional high. She felt as if she could take on anything and anyone in the world. Until the day came she was reminded she wasn't allowed to be happy.

It started with small things. Someone calling her a pervert for snapping shots of the wrestling team working out for the yearbook. Someone making fun of the sweater she'd chosen to wear that day. Stupid petty remarks just to get under her skin and thankfully biology was the last class she had for the day and one she happened to share with Hopper. Unfortunately, due to an ongoing group project, Hopper hadn't been able to move his seat up front next to Joyce. Instead, he had been forced to continue to work with Chrissy, who made a point not to speak to him unless it was about their project.

Of course, no one had wanted to partner with Joyce, so she was yet again going at another project alone. Thankfully, she didn't really need this biology class. She had only taken it as a demand from her father, wanting to make sure she had every possible school period filled. At least she knew most, if not all of the material, so she didn't really need to pay attention.

She had been doodling on a piece of paper ignoring the teacher when she felt something hit the back of her head and it only got worse when she reached up and felt something sticky stuck in her hair.

"Chrissy, what the hell?" She heard Hopper ask, turning around to see him staring daggers at the women to his right.

"What?" Chrissy asked with a shrug. "I thought it was the trashcan."

The class erupted in laughter and Hopper's face turned red with anger. "May I be excused?" Joyce asked, getting a nod from the teacher as she told everyone to settle down.

Joyce quickly grabbed her bag and made her exit, not noticing her camera sliding to the floor in her haste to get out of there.

Thankfully it hit Hopper's shoe when he stood to go after her and carefully scooped it up on his way out of the classroom. "Joyce!" He called when he saw her standing at her locker, struggling to get it open due to her hands shaking.

"Go away...please just leave me alone, Hop." She whispered, not looking at him as she tried her lock for the third time.

"But your cam-."

"Jim!" Hopper was cut off mid-sentence to Chrissy coming up behind them, causing Joyce to turn around. "What are you doing? What is this?" She motioned with her hands to the two of them.

"What am I doing?" He asked sarcastically. "What the hell are you doing Chrissy, Gum? Really? How mature."

Chrissy laughed, a smirk spreading across her face. "So that's what it is huh? You're fucking the trash princess! I couldn't get my head around why you would suddenly leave me after our date. I mean, what other reason is there. Look at me, then look at her." Chrissy pointed her hand at Joyce, popping her hip out for emphasis.

"Chrissy, you don't know what you're talking about. Just go back to class." Hopper instructed not wanting to deal with her bullshit at the moment.

"Why else would you waste your time helping this loser?" Joyce didn't miss the look Chrissy gave her like she was nothing more than a doormat she'd gladly wipe her feet on. "You certainly aren't giving me any, so you must be getting it somewhere."

"Chrissy, I'm warning you. Stop acting like a fucking child. You clearly have no idea what's going on."

"Oh, I don't?" Chrissy took a step closer, running her hand down his chest. Hopper tried taking a step back, but felt Joyce's locker door hit his shoulders.

"I'm not blind Jim, I've seen you around her locker between classes, and the way you stood up for her in the cafeteria." Once her hand reached his waist, she moved it to his wrist where she rubbed soft circles against his skin with her thumb. "And I bet all the evidence I'll need is right here." Before Hopper knew what was happening, Chrissy snatched Joyce's camera from his hand and took a step back.

"Hey!" Joyce yelled, moving around Hopper to stand between them. "Hand it over." This was the first time Hopper had ever seen Joyce actually stand up for herself and it made his chest tighten. Usually, she chose an easier alternative by avoiding confrontation.

Chrissy shrugged and held out her hand. Which seemed like an easy victory until Joyce almost had it in her grasp and Chrissy purposely let it slip from her fingers, sending it crashing to the floor. The sound of broken glass and plastic echoing through the empty hall.

"Did you really think I was just going to hand it over princess? If that's the case you're just as stupid as the fucking clothes you wear."

Something in Joyce snapped in that moment and she tackled Chrissy to the floor, beating the shit out of her. Joyce had one of her hands in Chrissy's hair, holding her head steady while her other fist connected repeatedly with her face. Joyce didn't even notice Chrissy's blood splashing onto her own face with every hit. She wasn't worried about the cuts on her own hands from Chrissy's teeth, or about the screams of her teachers telling her to break it up. All she craved was vengeance for all the bullshit the whore beneath her had cause for the past six years of her life. She barely felt two strong arms, wrapping around her chest, and pulling her away.

Hopper didn't hesitate to drag her down the hallway, leaving a trail of blood and sneaker prints in their wake. Quickly hauling her into the student bathroom, Hopper locked the door and turned to face the now shaking body in of him.

"Hopper, what the fuck have I done?"

"You just beat the shit out of Chrissy Carpenter, that's what you've done." Hopper pulls her to his chest, trying to help her stop shaking.

"No, no, no," Joyce whispered to herself as her mind started to become more clear.

"Shhhh, It's alright, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'll tell the principal or whoever what happened and all this shit is going to fall on Chrissy's shoulders, not yours."

"It's not alright!" Joyce spat, clutching at her chest when he let her go. "I'm so fucked, what the hell is wrong with me?" She questioned, her breaths coming faster and shallower.

Hopper dropped to his knees in front of her when she slid down to the floor and curled in on herself. "Joyce look at me." He demanded, reaching out to take her face in his hands. "Relax."

Joyce shook her head, knocking his hands away. "You don't understand. My dad's gonna kill me." Her breathing picked up even more then, scaring him.

"You have to calm down." He pleaded, rubbing her arms. "I won't let anything happen to you. Besides your dad is still in jail."

In almost an instant Joyce's eyes became hazy as she struggled to get air into her lungs.

"Shit." Hopper grabbed her ankles and pulled her forward, placing himself between her and the wall with her back against him. His hand wrapped around her fingers to remove the death grip on her collar and placed his arm across her chest. "Just breathe." He took in a deep breath, holding her tight enough that she could feel his chest rise. "In and out. Move with me." Another deep breath. "Just like that."

Joyce placed her hands on his thighs and fist his jeans between her fingers, rubbing his skin raw with the constant moving as she fought through her panic attack. "I'm right here, you're ok." He whispered, kissing the top of her head, doing anything to ease her pain.

"Hop..." Her voice barely came through as she gasped for air, her whole body shaking. Keeping his arm across her chest, he sat up a little more and used his free hand to brush sweaty hair from her face.

"Don't talk, just focus on me." His hand rubbed up and down her arm gently. "Take in a deep breath."

And she did, moving in time with his breathing. "Good, do it again." He repeated, continuing this pattern for what seemed like hours before she loosened her grip on his jeans and started getting enough air in her lungs to calm down. When she reached up to place her hand over his and he could no longer feel her heart trying to burst through her ribs, he dropped his head back against the wall and shut his eyes with a sigh.

"Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me." He whispered, squeezing her hand. He'd only seen her have a panic attack one other time and it was absolutely terrifying. If she wasn't currently shaking she'd more than likely feel the tremble in his own body at how uneasy he was.

"Sorry..." She apologized after a minute, her voice full of exhaustion.

He knew she was tired and would have gladly laid there in his arms until the sun went down, but her clothes were soaked with sweat, she was shivering uncontrollably and the bloodstains on his jeans reminded him of her busted knuckles she needed to clean. "Come on." He said, carefully pushing her to stand.

Joyce protested the movement, but stood anyway, suddenly becoming more alert.

"Holy shit, Hop, I beat the fuck out of Chrissy Carpenter." Joyce voiced in awe, not completely sure where the feeling of relief was coming from.

"You're damn right you did. Guess she won't be messing with you anymore."

"Wait... Hopper, your parents are going to be pissed at me!" Joyce swallowed, fearful of what would happen to her if she didn't have their support.

Hopper took hold of her shoulders and made her look at him. They didn't need a repeat of what just happened. "Joyce it's going to be ok, I promise you."

"You can't promise that!" Tears fell down her cheeks when she had no more fight left. She was completely drained and her body had no other way to release the stress she was feeling. "Even if the school doesn't call about your involvement..." She held up her hands then to look at her bloody knuckles. "I can't hide this from them. I don't know what I would do without the three of you and if they make me leave...Hop, I have nowhere else to go." Joyce cried, trying to keep oxygen moving into her lungs. She was just so tired of the bullies, tired of the abuse and tired of trying so hard to better her life just to get shit on over and over again.

Joyce was the strongest person Hopper had ever met and to see her so broken in that moment destroyed him. She had never admitted defeat before. Even after the worst of the beatings, the teasing, the constant stress of going to college, she always hid behind a face of determination. It's one of the things he loved about her. Even when the world was against her she always pushed through.

Taking her hand, he moved them to stand in front of the sink and turned on the faucet. "What you just did to Chrissy proves you're capable of more than you think."

Joyce let him run her hands under the water once it was warm. Rinsing the blood from her knuckles. "I don't know what happened." She whispered, truly surprised by her actions.

"Six years of bullshit is what happened. Chrissy's a bitch and deserved what she got." Hopper rolled her knuckles between his fingers to make sure nothing was broken and carefully cleaned where he assumed her fist hit Chrissy's tooth and tore the skin. That was the only place he could see where she was bleeding so the rest of the blood had to be Chrissy's. "You really did a number on her." He said with a hint of a smile. Proud of her for standing up for herself.

Pounding on the bathroom door made both of them jump and Hopper carefully put Joyce behind his back, making sure whoever was on the other side would have to go through him to get to her.

"Miss Horowitz's father is on the way. Bring her to the office now Mr. Hopper." The principal's voice range through the door. Hopper felt Joyce go stiff behind him. Turning to face her, he saw the tears once again streaming down her cheeks.

"I thought he was still in jail, dad would have told us if he posted bail." Hopper ran his hands through his hair, feeling the stress rolling off not only him, but Joyce as well.

"It's two o'clock, he's on his lunch break now. What if he posted bail after your dad left?" Her voice is barely above a whisper, her hands already shaking again. "I can't go to the farm Hop, he will kill me, you know what he is capable of! I've never fucked up this bad before."

"You've never fucked up period Joyce, he's the one whos fucked up." Hopper whispers pulling her into his chest.

"I have to go, I need to get my things from the tree house. If I can get out of here before he shows up, I can make a run for it."

The mention of those words had Hopper's heart in his throat.

"What do you mean make a run for it!? Joyce, you can't leave Hawkins, you can't leave me! Look, just come with me. Come home with me, we will grab your little box from the treehouse, tell my dad everything and not just what you want him to know. Then he can arrest that shitbag who's been abusing you for years!" Hopper pleads, willing to drop down to his knees and beg if she wants him too.

"You don't get it Hop, he will find me. No matter where I am or who I am with. As soon as he's out of jail again, he's going to want to punish me and you know he will stop at nothing until he does. I am literally-"

Suddenly the door to the bathrooms is busted open, revealing Joyce's father, the principal close behind him.

"Come along Princess, we need to have a talk at home. You've been suspended for the next three days." Her father's overly sweet voice filled the tiled lined room. His concerned father charade may have the teachers fooled, but he's not fooling Jim.

Standing up to his full height to shield Joyce, Hopper starts a standoff between himself and Joyce's father.

"She didn't do a damn thing wrong and she will not be going anywhere with you." He firmly told her dad, not missing the red tinge that had started to appear above the man's collar.

"I'm sorry son, but are you telling me what I am and aren't going to do with my own daughter?" Travis' thick accent leaked out into the small bathroom.

"You're damn right I-"

Hopper stopped talking when he felt a small pinky finger wrap around his. That was her signal. The signal to let it be before her father tried to hurt him too. Hopper looked down into Joyce's eyes and saw the unmistakable fear there. He also saw determination. She wasn't going to let him get hurt no matter the cost. Joyce quickly squeezed his hand three times in quick succession. Another code they had. Meet at the tree house. She squeezed his hand one last time, before moving from behind him.

He watched as Joyce stepped in front of Travis, her head down, not making eye contact with the man who had been abusing her for years. Hopper doesn't miss the way Joyce flinches as her father gently places his hand on the back of her neck, guiding her out of the bathroom and down the hallway.

"Mr. Hopper, I need to see you in my office." Principal Shepherd states, stepping aside to allow Hopper enough room to pass.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline that invitation, Mr. Shepherd. I gotta get home."

Hopper quickly steps around the principal and is running down the hallway and toward the student parking lot as if a life depends on it. He's grabbing for his keys as soon as his truck is insight. His hands are shaking from a combination of fear and adrenaline so bad he drops them.

"Fuck!" He yells out, trying to find the right one for his truck door on his massive set of keys. Finally finding the right one he shoves it into the lock, throwing his truck door open and climbing inside. He's peeling out of the lot in seconds, not even looking as he pulls onto the main road. He has to get to the station to find his dad. He's the only one who can help Joyce now.

He's doing fifty in a thirty five, praying no one walks out in front of him as he pulls into the front of the Police Station. His dad's blazer is parked neatly in its designated spot. Hopper doesn't even turn his truck off before he's jumping out the door and running inside. Slinging the door open, he startles Flo, his dad's new secretary.

" ! No running in the building!" She calls out after Jim, who is currently busting through the swinging door, eyes scanning the small room for his father.

"Where is he? Where's my dad?" Hopper yells at the officers who are currently sitting around their desks.

"He left about ten minutes ago on a call to old man Henderson's house. What's going on Jim, are you okay?" Mark calls from his desk. He lays his playing cards down and stands.

"No I'm not okay, why is his truck here if he's not? It doesn't matter, I need your radio right now. Right now dammit!" Jim yells as he grabs for Mark's radio.

"Hey kid, knock it off or I'm going to put you in a cell until your old man gets back." Mark states as he smacks Jim's hands away from his shoulder.

"You don't get it! I need to speak to my dad right now Mark!" Jim yells, turning on his heel and quickly stalks to his father's office, grabbing a spare radio off of his desk. He prays it has some kind of charge. Scanning through the various channels, Hopper finally finds channel eleven and begins hurriedly tapping out his family name in Morse code. That was their signal when an emergency was happening. Finally, after repeating this process three times, his dad comes back over the radio.

"Mary? Jim? What's going on? Over." Greg's voice calls back through the channel. Hopper nearly weeps at the sound of his old man's voice.

"Dad, he's got her. We have to go or he's going to kill her! Over." Hopper cries out, praying his dad stays within range.

"Jim what are you talking about, who has who? Over."

"Horowitz, Travis Horowitz posted bail today while you were on lunch. Joyce got in a fight at school and they called him. He picked her up and I don't know where she is! Over!"

The channel is silent for a few seconds, he's sure his father is yelling curses he can't even begin to think of.

"Jim, I need you to go to the tree house son, see if she got away somehow. I'm heading back to the station now. Over." The channel goes silent and Jim throws the radio down on the desk. Running back through the station, he once again startles Flo, who is attempting to make a fresh pot of coffee.

"No running in the station Mr. Hopper!" She yells out with more authority. Hopper doesn't even give her a glance back as he jumps into his truck, throwing it in reverse, and hauling ass toward the farm.

He's running toward the fields the second he's parked in the driveway and doesn't reply when his mother yells out the front door, demanding to know what's going on. He just runs toward the tree house, praying to whatever God that is listening, that she is alive and safe.


	6. Chapter 6

Joyce felt her father's hand leave her neck as he opened the door to his truck and not so easily shoved her into the passenger seat, almost closing her hand in the door. Joyce had given up, knowing she was about to get the beating of her life. She flinched when her father climbed up into the driver's side.

"Well well, it looks like you've gotten yourself into a shit situation here princess. Didn't I tell you not to leave the house for any reason?" Travis sneered, putting his truck into reverse and pulling out into the road. Joyce is silent, just wanting to spend her last moments of clarity thinking about Hopper. She's lost in thought, thinking of Halloween night when a hand smacks her face.

"I'm talking to you, young lady!" Travis yells, swerving slightly into the next lane. Joyce remains silent, praying that everything will be over soon and hopefully she'll be able to make a run for it once he's done.

"So you want to play hard to get, is that it?" Travis questions as he reaches out, placing his hand on her upper thigh. What might look like a gentle father's touch at a stoplight was actually killing her. Travis was gripping her thigh so tightly his knuckles were white.

"If you wanted to play, you just had to say the word." He whispers, moving his hand up to Joyce's waist, his finger dipping down underneath the denim at her hip. The feeling of him on her made Joyce's blood run cold. She tried to ignore her racing heart, just wanting to get this done and over with. She was tired of fighting him.

Travis pulls off onto the dirt road that Joyce knows so well. It's the one she's ran down countless times to get away from the man who she calls her father. When the trailer comes into view, she starts to panic. He's out of the truck in seconds, reaching across the cab and grabbing her hair, jerking her out, not caring he's pulling her hair out by the roots. She barely catches her footing before he hauls her up, pressing her against the truck. His hand is around her throat, cutting off her air supply.

"You've had it easy compared to what's to come little one. By the time I'm through with you, that Hopper boy won't be able to recognize who the fuck you are." He slowly reaches down Joyce's right arm, toying with her like a cat does a mouse. He grabs for her small hand, looking over the cuts that were left by Chrissy's teeth.

"So you get into a fight with a girl and end up locked in the bathroom with a guy hanging all over you? What was up with that?" He asks, taking Joyce's pinky between both of his hands. She kept her mouth shut. Knowing if she didn't survive, whatever information she gave would lead him to the Hoppers.

Travis sighed, looking down into his daughter's face. "Looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way." Without hesitation, he bends her pinky sharply back and to the side, causing the bones within to break instantly. Joyce cant help the scream that rips from her lungs.

"Why do you make me hurt you Joyce? You know I do what I do because I love you!" He yells over her screams.

"Now, why don't you be a good girl and do what daddy says. Go inside." He murmurs into her hair. Joyce cradles her pinky to her chest. If this is what he was starting out with, she'd be dead within two hours. Quickly inhaling the last bit of fresh air she probably ever would, Joyce walks up the rickety steps of the porch and into the trailer.

A stench she hasn't smelled in that metal prison smacks her in the face as she opens the door. There's no telling what he has done inside since the last time she was here. Standing in the living room, she tried to breathe through her mouth instead of her nose. She jumps when the front door closes shut, sealing her inside where she knows she's about to be tortured. Travis's hand is on the back of her neck again, forcing her to turn around. She sees his fist before it connects with her left eye. Seeing stars, she drops to her knees. His hand is pulling her hair again, punching her repeatedly on the left side of her face. After three hits, he pushes her away, her face landing on the stained carpet on the floor.

Travis stands straight, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Now that I've got your attention, tell me, what's been going on with you and the Chief's kid?" He questions, looking down at his hand, inspecting for blood on the back of it.

"Nothing is going on, he just broke up the fight." She breathes, keeping her head on the floor. Travis reaches out, placing her broken pinky under his boot. Stepping down on the bone, willing it to pierce through her skin. She's screaming into the carpet, trying her best not to give him the satisfaction of hearing her.

"I know your lying Joyce, I'm the one who taught you how to do that remember?" He sneers, taking his weight slightly off of her hand.

"You going to tell me the truth now?" He growls, spitting onto the floor near Joyce's head. She doesn't say a word. Travis takes a breath, grabbing her hand and hauls her up, making her stand on her feet. She has a split second to close her eyes before her face is being smacked into the doorframe of the kitchen. A loud crunch radiates through her head, and the sudden feeling of drowning floods her. Warm blood trickles down her nose, coating her lips with the taste of copper. Her head is pounding unbearably as she feels the coldness of his hands around the back of her neck once more. He pulls her head back, causing the flowing blood to drain down into her throat, choking her.

"Ready to talk yet, or do I have to keep pursuing you?'' He asks as if this was a normal conversation to be having while beating the shit out of your kid. Joyce stands fast, trying to keep what little dignity she feels she has left.

"Have it your way then." He laughs. "You know I like a challenge, Joyce. You will break, and when you do, I'm going to make you beg me to kill you." He throws her into the corner of the living room, cutting off any escape attempt she may try to make. She hears the sound of his knife, and keys hitting the floor as he unhooks his belt. Giving the worn leather a test crack, he grins, enjoying the way it makes her jump at the noise.

"You're just like one of Pavlov's dogs Princess, you hear the sound of my belt and it instantly makes you shiver." Joyce can't see out of her left eye, whether it's because of it swelling shut, or the constant flow of blood pouring into it she doesn't know. She feels the agonizing snap of his belt against her shoulders, causing her to fall to her knees. He strikes her, five times in quick succession, all his hits landing on the back of her ribs. Her skin is stinging more than it has since the first time he hit her. He hasn't done this in weeks, giving her skin time to heal before being brought back into the hell she was accustomed to. He deals four more lashes, the buckle of his belt scratching into her skin. That's when she hears it. Hoppers' voice, only its in her head. "Joyce, do you have any idea how hard it is to pretend that you don't exist? I love you, more than anything, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you anymore. Come on Joyce, fight, Fight for, me, for us!

Travis grabs her by her ankles, pulling her into the center of the room. He climbs on top of her, his hands lifting her shirt up to her navel. He grabs for the button of her jeans.

Pulling strength from Hopper's voice in her head, Joyce quickly sits up, connecting her forehead with his. Travis sits back on his heels immediately, allowing Joyce to bring up her legs and kick him as hard as she can in the face. She hears the most satisfying sound in the world, bones breaking. She quickly scrambles for traction and stumbles toward her bedroom. Slamming and locking the door she makes her way to her window, thankful he hadn't had a chance to board it up yet. She cried out in agony as she raises the window, the pressure on what is left of her pinky unbearable. Going head first she tumbles out the window, landing on her shoulder. The muffled sound that fills her ear is quickly noted and she climbs to her feet, her right arm now useless, she can feel the disconnection between her shoulder and its intended socket.

"Get back here you fucking bitch!" She hears Travis scream as the faint sounds of sirens swell in the distance. She's not taking a chance on him catching her. Running as fast as she can, she tears through the woods, branches slashing her in the face as she runs. Joyce's foot connects with an upended root and causes her to fall. She's cradling her right arm to her chest with what fingers she still has function over on her left.

She's late. Joyce should be here by now. Hopper is pacing inside the treehouse, not able to stand still to save his life. He repeatedly pops his knuckles, a habit he's picked up for when he becomes nervous. He doesn't even have the concentration to light a cigarette as he paces.

"Fuck this." He says, swinging open the hatch on the treehouse and quickly climbing down the ladder. The moment his boots hit the ground, he's running for the treeline. Not giving a damn that his shirt is getting ripped to shreds on random low hanging branches. Crossing the fields and woods between the treehouse and the Horowitz trailer in record time, he dips down the small trail that Joyce uses when she comes to the treehouse. He doesn't realize just how far he's run until the old tree that covers the trail comes into view. Quickly hurtling himself over it, Hopper is airborne for two seconds before he's on the ground on the other side. Something moves ahead on the trail and he stops breathing. She's battered, bloody, and currently trying to pick herself up off the trail.

"Joyce!" He screams, sliding suddenly to a stop in front of her. He's on his knees, pulling her to him. Her nose is crooked, and he can't pinpoint where the blood is still flowing from on her face.

"Hop...following...he's…" The words are barely pushed passed Joyce's bleeding lips before his instincts kick in.

Reaching down, he pulls her into his arms and his heart breaks when she lets out a painful cry at his slight touch.

"I know it hurts honey I'm sorry. You just gotta hold on okay? Just hold onto me." His voice cracks as he adjusts his hold on her and begins to sprint toward the one place Travis can't touch them. His home.

Hopper is dodging limbs and stumps all the way back to the farm and Joyce has become less responsive to his attempts at conversation. She hadn't said a word in three minutes. He nearly weeps when the horse barn comes into view.

"We're almost there Joy." He calls looking down into his arms. The sight of her makes his knees grow weak. The blood on her face has dried, and the swelling has increased. Her left eye is barely open as she glances up at him unable to focus on his face.

Making it past his dad's Blazer, Hopper is screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Mom, Dad, I need help! Help her please!" His anguished scream fills the yard as he steps onto the porch, his knees buckling from exhaustion. His parents run onto the front porch and Hopper doesn't miss his mother bringing her hand to cover her mouth in shock.

"Jesus Jim." His father cries, as he rushes to his son's side. The fear that is in his father's eyes is enough to make the tears Hopper has been trying to hold back since finding her fall onto his cheeks.

"I'll call an ambulance." His mother voices, turning to run into the house.

"Did Travis do this Jim?" Greg asks as he tries to take Joyce from his arms. Hopper is reluctant, afraid that she is going to stop breathing once she doesn't feel his touch anymore.

"Come on son I can't help her until she's on the porch." His father instructs as Hopper slowly nods and relinquishes his hold on her.

Hopper watches as she struggles to swallow. Her gaze now roaming the ceiling of the porch.

"Go get my radio son and the first aid kit." Greg instructed as he began to take a mental note of Joyce's injuries. It's not until Hopper reaches for her hand that he notices her pinky. The one she held his with in the bathroom is laying at an unnatural angle.

"The bastard broke her pinky!" Hopper cries at his father's side.

"That pinky is the least of our problems Jim, get my radio, now!"

"No need, I got it." His mother's voice calls from the screen door.

"David and two units are at the trailer now, Travis took off into the woods. They're looking for him." Mary informs her husband who is now standing at Joyce's side.

"Mary, I need you to stay here with the kids, I'm going to find that fucking bastard if it's the last thing I do. Jim, come here son, I need your help." Hopper does as he's instructed. Watching his dad lift Joyce's limp neck from the porch almost kills him.

"Son, I need you to sit right here, come on, place your thigh under her head. Watch her breathing and try and keep her talking, do whatever you have to do take keep her awake." Hopper nods, running his hand over the top of Joyce's head. His stomach rolls when he notices clumps of her hair coming away with the touch.

With those instructions, Greg is off the porch and heading to his blazer, his slightly untucked uniform shirt billowing behind him. He slings gravel and dirt in his haste to get to the trailer.

Glancing in his rearview mirror, he watches the three most important people in his life huddle together on his porch. He had never wanted to kill another man in his life, but he guessed that the old saying was true, there's always a first time for everything.

"Patient is Joyce Horowitz, a seventeen-year-old female, broken nose, dislocated right shoulder, blunt force trauma to the head and possible rib fractures. Broken pinky on her right hand." The EMT called ahead on his radio the moment Joyce was loaded into the ambulance. Hopper recognized the driver as Anthony O'Malley, a guy about six years older than him. Hopper held his mother's hand as they watched the paramedic take Joyce's vitals.

Hopper takes his other hand and places it on Joyce's knee, praying she can tell he's there.

"Come on Joyce don't do this to me, you have to fight." Hopper pleads, as his mother rubs soothing circles on his back.

"Y'all might want to cover your ears for this, it's going to make one hell of a sound." The EMT announced as he carefully picked up Joyce's injured hand.

"Wait, isn't that going to hurt like hell?" Hopper questioned, trying to keep Joyce from having unnecessary pain.

"Buddy, she's here right now, but her mind's not. It shut down to protect her from her trauma and It's better if I fix it now while she's out. I promise it's going to hurt worse if we wait."

"Come on honey, let him so his job." Mary soothes, pulling Hopper's head to lay on her shoulder. Using her other hand, she covers his ears and closes her eyes. It takes less than a minute for Joyce's finger to be reset and taped to her ring finger.

"We're pulling in now." O'Malley calls into the radio, alerting the hospital staff to be on the ready. The ambulance stops suddenly and before Hopper can stand up, the doors are being swung open and a swarm of medical personnel are already removing Joyce's stretcher from the ambulance. Rushing through the hospital doors, Hopper is at Joyce's side.

"Come on Joy, you have to fight, I can't lose you." He pleads with her, not even knowing if she can hear him. A hand on his shoulder stops him as they pass through a set of double doors.

"Son I can't let you go any further, I'm going to need you to take a seat out in the lobby for me okay?"

"Please, I need to know she's okay!" Hopper begs, not giving a damn that everyone in the emergency department can hear him crying.

"I can't allow it Jim and you know that. Now go on, If I hear anything before your dad gets here, I'll radio him okay?" It's not until Hopper hears mention of his father that he focuses on the man who is blocking him from following Joyce. It's Mark, his dad's second in command. "Jim, I promise you, you'll do nothing but get in the way back there. Besides your mom is pretty shook up, I think she needs you more than Joyce does at the moment."

"Wait, if you're here, that means…"

"Yeah, Travis is here too. Apparently, she broke his nose. Your girls a fighter Jim."

"Bastard deserves to have his neck broke." Hopper growls, wanting more than ever to make his way into the back hallways of the hospital.

"I agree son, that's why I'm going to let your father do the talking once he gets here. But for now, I need you to sit down, go smoke a cigarette or something and let those doctors save her life okay?"

Running his hands through his hair, Jim steps away from Mark, heading down the hallway toward the emergency room waiting area. "Guess mom was going to find out my smoking habit sooner or later." He mumbled to himself as he motioned for her to follow him outside.

The sound of boots approaching makes Travis raise his head. The curtain dividing his small cubicle from the next is pulled back by none other than Greg Hopper.

"How's it going Chief, long time no see!" Travis calls, attempting to wave, although both of his hands are handcuffed to his bed. Greg doesn't say a word as he walks over to Travis's bedside. Pulling out a rolling stool from a nearby desk, he sits, close enough to feel Travis's breath on his face.

"How's my girl doing out there? She still kicking? Shame she got away before I could teach her how to be a true lady." Travis chuckles to himself, no longer giving a damn what he says to anyone.

"They treating you good in here Horowitz?" Greg asked, looking around the small room.

"Treating me just fine. Doc came in, reset my nose and I'm assuming you're here to give me my slap on the wrist?"

Greg runs his hands over his face before giving Travis a sweet smile. Moving faster than Travis thought he could, Greg's fist connected with his freshly set nose, making the bone dislodge again. Before Travis can even scream, Greg has his hands around the man's throat.

"You listen here you son of a bitch. Joyce is my girl. You hear me? She is my daughter, and I have been a better father to her than you could ever dream of being. You best believe that I'll be calling in every favor I can when you go to prison. With any luck, you'll be dead in a week." Greg hissed. Squeezing Travis's throat one more time for good measure, he let go, wiping the blood from Travis's freshly broken nose onto his already disgusting shirt.

"If I even hear of you even thinking about Joyce again, I'll kill you myself is that clear?" Greg warns as he grasps the curtain divider in his hand. For once, Travis Horowitz didn't have a damn thing to say.

Hopper is on his third cigarette when he looks up to see his father making his way toward him and his mother. Quickly taking one last drag, he drops the butt and crushes it under his boot.

"Dad is she okay? Please tell me she's okay!" Jim's pleading to his father and Greg doesn't say a word as he pulls his son into a tight hug.

"I don't know son, they haven't told me anything." Greg whispers as he feels Jim begin to shake in his arms.

"I can't lose her dad, I love her. She's the one. I know I sound crazy, but she's it!" Jim cries into his father's shoulders, Greg's arms are the only thing holding him up.

"All we can do is wait and pray." Greg looks to his wife, knowing she's thinking the same thing he is. Either their sons heart is going to be broken beyond repair in the next few hours, or it's going to become fiercely protective of the girl he's going to marry.

A hand is gently shaking Greg awake. Coming back to consciousness, he realizes a doctor is standing in front of him. He motions for Greg to follow him and as carefully as he can, he slides his arm out from under Mary, who has Jim's head laying in her lap. Following the doctor to a small side room, Greg is prepared for the worst.

"Mr. Hopper, I'm Dr. Perkins, head of trauma. I was told to report Miss. Horowitz condition to you. Am I correct?"

"Yeah that's correct, how bad is she?" Greg is straight to the point.

"Chief, I'm not going to bullshit you, that girl is lucky to be alive. Two of her ribs were fractured, her shoulder dislocated, broken nose and pinky. Not to mention the beating she took. If your son hadn't found her when he did, she wouldn't be here right now."

Greg is running his hand through his hair, pacing in the small room. "She's going to be okay though right? She's going to make it?"

"She's going to be extremely sore for at least the next month, and it wouldn't surprise me if she had some form of PTSD, but yes, she's going to make it."

Relief floods Greg's body. He hasn't been this tore up since Mary's blood pressure dropped when she was in labor.

"Thank you so much Doc, when can we see her?"

"I can take y'all back now if you'd like. I have to warn you though, there is considerable bruising, and swelling. We have her sedated for the pain and depending on her vitals, we should be able to wake her up over the next day or so. I'll wait here while you gather your family."

Greg nods as he leaves the room, carefully waking Mary and Jim to follow him back down the hallway toward the patients rooms.

Hopper didn't recognize the woman in the hospital bed before him. Her face is so swollen it looks like it's about to burst. Her right arm is in a sling, her pinky is in a tiny brace, taped to her ring finger, and the bruises are the worst he has ever seen. But she's breathing. The sight of her chest rising and falling is the most beautiful thing Hopper has ever seen. He's not listening as Dr. Perkins talks to his parents, he's just watching her. I promise Joyce, I'm not going to leave your side.

He feels his dad standing behind him, then a hand on his shoulder.

"We're going to go back to the house and get a few things for Joyce. When we come back, I want you to go home. Take a shower, and try to get some sleep okay?" Hopper nods, still not taking his eyes off of Joyce.

"I promise you son, he's going to pay for this."


	7. Chapter 7

Mary tiptoed into Joyce's room, finding Jim fast asleep, his body leaning onto the side of Joyce's bed. He hadn't left Joyce's side in the six hours she had been away. Mary brought her hand down onto her son's shoulder, gently coaxing him awake.

"Jim honey, wake up. Come on bud, sit up."

Hopper opened his eyes and quickly sat up, looking at Joyce.

"Is she still okay?" He questioned, still disoriented from sleep.

"She's fine Jim. Go on home and get some sleep. I'll stay here with her. Your dad is at the house."

"I'm fine mom, really. I'm going to stay here." Hopper stated, running his hands over his face.

"Jim, you can't take care of her if you run yourself down. I'm staying here with her. If anything happens I promise I'll call. Do you want me to have Mark take you home or can you drive?"

"You're really going to make me go, mom?" Hopper questions, stretching in his chair.

"Yes, sir I am. You can drive or I can have someone take you. But you need sleep, food and a shower." She scolds, attempting to scoot his chair back from the bed.

"Alright, alright I'll drive. You got my keys?" Before the words are completely out of his mouth, Mary is dangling his keys from her fingers. Watching her son stand up, Mary notices how much taller he has grown in the past three years. He bends over Joyce, gently placing a kiss to the top of her head. This was the first time Mary had ever seen her son show any physical affection toward the young women she considered her daughter.

"I'll be back in a few hours mom okay? Just call if anything changes and I'll be back in a hurry." Jim states as he grabs the keys from his mother's hand. Stopping at the door for one last look at Joyce, Hopper reluctantly leaves her side.

—-

Hopper has to force himself to walk up the steps of his porch. He's not sure who washed Joyce's blood away from the wood beneath his feet, but the porch looks freshly cleaned and smells faintly of bleach. Carefully opening the front door, he walks inside, automatically sliding his boots off to leave by the rug. A light coming from the kitchen makes him stop and do a double-take. He figured his dad would be in bed at this time.

Walking to the kitchen, he finds his dad sitting at the table, Joyce's black box beside him. Countless pictures of Joyce's bruised and bloody body are scattered out in front of Greg who is sitting motionless, staring at a photo of Joyce pinched between his thumb and pointer finger.

"Dad?" Jim calls, walking into the kitchen. His voice brings Greg out of whatever thoughts are running through his head and he can tell his dad has been crying, the redness of his eyes proof.

"A one-time thing Jim?" He whispers, placing the photo back onto the table.

"You went to the tree house?" Jim questions from where he's standing.

"Yeah, the majority of her clothes and stuff are there. Then I realized that if she took all those pictures of the good times with you, she probably took them of the bad times as well. So I did some snooping and found this box. Also seen your .22 was off the rack. What was that about?"

"Joyce saw a flashlight in the woods one night. She knew it wasn't any of us, so she got it down just in case it was him." Jim admits as he takes a seat beside his father. They are quiet for a minute, Greg moving the photos in front of him around to look at the various stages of Joyce's tortured life.

"If I had told you, she would have stopped coming to the tree house dad. I couldn't let her stay at the trailer after everything he was doing to her. She made me promise not to say anything." Jim sighed.

Greg's hand suddenly slams down on the table, making him jump. "Do you see this Jim!? All of this could have been avoided the first god damn time if you would have just come to me for help! I could have arrested that son of a bitch and she wouldn't have been hurt like this!" Greg screams in anger. Anger that he's not sure is directed toward the kids or himself. "I've always suspected there was more, but I trusted you to tell me!"

"I was trying to protect her!" Jim counters, trying to keep his voice level. "What was I supposed to do? Tell you, have Travis arrested and then have the entire town talk about her? She gets enough of that shit at school as it is, why would I add even more to her plate?"

Letting his words sink in, Jim waits for his father to calm down. Finally, Greg speaks as he rubbed his temples.

"I don't know how she has survived all these years dealing with this. She must have been in constant pain. Not to mention she was keeping good grades in school and helping you out around here. I just…" Greg stops speaking, at a loss for words.

"She's too tough and stubborn for her own good dad, I know. I took all of those photos. You don't know how often I begged her to tell you or mom, or anybody who could help. But she insisted she didn't want to be a burden. No matter how many times I told her she wasn't." Jim finishes.

Sighing, Greg stands and makes his way over to the fridge. Pulling out two bottles of beer, he hands one to Jim, who carefully takes it in his hand.

"Oh come on Jim, if you can drink what was left of that Whiskey, then you can share a beer with your old man."

Jim nods before opening the beer with his shirt. Taking a sip, he makes a face and sits the bottle on the counter. Greg is trying his best not to laugh as he too sat back down.

"So if you took all of these photos, would you be able to help me make a timeline? I need to see if there are any patterns here, see how the beatings progressed." Greg states, moving the photos around so they aren't laying on top of each other.

"Do you think you'll be able to have him convicted dad?"

"With all this evidence, his priors and what happened today with Joyce, there's no way he's getting out of prison this time. The sooner we get everything in order, the sooner we can make him disappear."

—-

Pain. Everywhere, it's all Joyce can feel. She attempts to open her eyes, but only one of them follows her command. She tries to sit up to no avail and she starts to panic as memories of her father come flooding back to her. Somewhere, a beeping is becoming faster. A shuffle of feet come beside her.

"Joyce, honey it's okay, I'm here, you're safe." She hears Mary's familiar voice. Looking to her right, she sees the closest thing to a mother she has ever had. "You're in the hospital darlin, but everything is going to be okay. Just try not to move, you've got a lot of things holding you together. I'm going to go get the doctor, just sit tight." Joyce tries to speak, but her words come out in a hoarse mess.

"Shhhhh, don't speak honey, just save your energy, I'll be right back." In a flash Mary is out of her line of sight. Panicking, Joyce tries to take an inventory of her body.

An unfamiliar face came into her line of sight, making her heart rate increase. It's not until she sees Mary over the mystery man's shoulder, that Joyce realizes he's a doctor.

"Joyce, I'm doctor Perkins, I'm taking care of you this evening, can you follow my finger with your eyes?" Joyce does as she is asked, carefully following the doctor's finger. Reaching down, he takes Joyce's left hand in his.

"I need you to squeeze my hand as hard as you can, come on squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, there we go." He encourages as Joyce focuses what little strength she has into squeezing his hand.

"Alright, now I'm going to listen to your lungs is that okay? Squeeze my hand two times for yes." She squeezes twice, knowing he is just doing his job. Joyce jumps when the cold stethoscope touches her skin. The room is silent with the exception of their breathing.

"Good, alright Joyce, I know you're in pain and I promise we're going to give you a little something to help with that, but not as powerful as what you have been on okay? Now. Mrs. Hopper is still here with you, if you are in any discomfort, just give her hand a squeeze and she will get one of the nurses or myself." Joyce nodded, already feeling exhausted from the little movement she's done.

"Mom? Is she awake?" Jim's voice fills the room. Before Joyce can turn her head, he is at her side.

"Oh god, Joyce, I was so worried about you." He starts to cry as he leans down and places a kiss to her hair. His hand is gently touching her head and Joyce feels like she is going to cry in relief that he's okay.

Putting a straw to Joyce's lips, Hopper helps her drink.

"How long have I been here?" Her raspy voice barely above a whisper.

"Three days. I'm not gonna lie Joy, I thought I'd lost you." Hopper confesses, pulling a chair up beside the bed.

"What happened? Where's Travis? I remember jumping out of my window and running, and he was trying to follow me."

"You don't have to worry about him ever again darlin, Greg is taking care of everything now." Mary's voice comes from her other side.

Joyce starts to get that anxious feeling in her stomach. If Greg was handling everything that means the police were involved, which became a matter of public record. The whole town was going to know what happened.

"Joy it's okay, Dad had Judge Cooper seal the case file. No one is going to know anything we don't want them to." Hopper soothed, trying to keep her as calm as possible.

"Don't you worry bout a thing. We've got you Joyce. Now I'm going downstairs to get a cup of coffee, I'll be back in about thirty minutes or so." Mary informed the two as she got to her feet and patted Joyce on her knee.

When she's out the door, the tears Joyce has been holding back start to fall. Hopper was safe. Greg and Mary were safe, that was all she could ever ask for.

"Joyce what's wrong? Are you in pain?" Hopper frantically asks, already making his way to the door to grab a nurse.

"I'm fine Hop, can you just…can you hold me for a while, please?" Joyce questions, trying to scoot over in the hospital bed.

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Please Hop, I just want you close."

Giving in to what he knows is going to get him into trouble, Hopper agreed. Scooting Joyce over as carefully as he can, he crawls into bed with her. Laying on his side, he gently places one arm under Joyce's head, the other over her stomach.

"I don't know what I would have done if something worse would have happened to you." He whispers as Joyce sighs at the feel of him.

"I don't know what I would have done either Hop." She snuggles her head onto his shoulder, careful not to hurt her bruised face. Feeling completely safe for the first time she can remember, Joyce closed her eyes and just laid with him.

Mary, along with Greg, returned about an hour later wanting to give their kids as much time together as possible, so they had a quick lunch. Upon opening the door to Joyce's room, the Hoppers were struck with a beautiful sight. Jim and Joyce were fast asleep in bed. Jim's arms were protectively wrapped around Joyce, their hands folded together.

—-

A week passed before Joyce was able to return to the farm she called home. Obviously, all three Hopper's refused her pleas to stay in the tree house.

"Absolutely not young lady. There's no way for you to climb that ladder without hurting yourself and it's twenty six degrees outside! Not to mention we've already had flurries and it's on the second week of November! You're staying in the house and that's final."

Joyce waited until Mary's back was turned before she rolled her eyes. Catching Hopper smiling at her, Joyce cracked a painful grin herself.

"Will you at least let me help clean, or with chores or something? I feel useless just sitting here like a potato." She protested, not used to being babied.

"You can help by staying in the bed or on the couch. Jim only has one week left of school before Thanksgiving and then it's time to decorate for Christmas."

"Do you know if Dad is going to be participating in the Christmas parade this year?" Jim questioned, wanting to steer the conversation away from chores and cleaning.

"I figure he's going to, he's been keeping out of the public eye lately working on the case. It would do him some good to throw some candy and wave at the kids." Sliding a pancake on the plate in front of Joyce, Mary continues her spill about Thanksgiving menus and outdoor Christmas decorations.

It's a quarter till eight when Hopper stands up from the table. Joyce hates this time of the morning now. He leaves for school and she has to spend the next eight hours without him by her side.

"Come on Joyce it's not that bad, I'll be home before you know it. Besides, you get to hang out with mom. I'm super jealous honestly." He teases, placing his plate in the sink. Jim goes to Joyce's side, placing a quick kiss to her temple.

"Have a good day and I'll see you soon okay? Love you." He whispered into her ear, not wanting his mother to hear him say those words just yet. Joyce gives his hand a squeeze before mouthing those words back to him. She watches as he places a kiss on his mother's cheek before grabbing his keys and leaving for the day.

"Well Joyce, I'm just going to be piddling around the house today, you're more than welcome to sit down here or you can hang out in Jim's room, whatever you want to do." Mary makes small talk as she begins to wash the dishes from breakfast.

"If it's okay with you I may just lay in bed and read. Jim got a new book from the library for me and it's pretty amazing." Joyce grins, thinking about the blooming love of her current fictional interests.

"That's perfectly fine dear, if you need anything at all just yell for me okay?"

Joyce nods as she places her plate in the sink and heads up the steps. Maybe she can clean the bathroom or something upstairs when Mary isn't around.

—-

The drive to school for Hopper was a quiet one. It had been a little over a week since the fight between Joyce and Chrissy. Obviously, with a small town like Hawkins, gossip about fights was a continued topic for months. This would be his fourth day back at school when all he wanted to do was be at home with Joyce. Pulling into the student parking lot, Hopper noticed Chrissy's corvette, parked close to his usual spot. Guess Hawkins golden girl was back in her daddy's good graces. Throwing his truck in park, Hopper got out, adjusting his coat and ignoring the tiny snow flurries that had begun to fall.

His day went about like normal. Three classes, followed by lunch. He ignored the whispers as he walked the hallway and tried his best not to listen to the outrageous theories of why Joyce has yet to return to school. They varied from her being committed for beating the shit out of Chrissy, to her moving away from Hawkins. Grabbing a sandwich and a chocolate milk from the line, Hopper snuck out the back door of the cafeteria, a cigarette calling his name.

His and Joyce's spot under the bleachers was lonelier than ever and he missed her like crazy. More than any sane man should miss a woman who was barely seven miles down the road. Bringing a camel to his lips, he quickly inhaled, letting the smoke fill his lungs. The flurries that had been falling this morning had grown in size, becoming huge white snowflakes. Pulling the hood of his coat up around his neck, he crushed out his cigarette under his boot, dreading going to biology where he would have to sit with Chrissy and work on that stupid project.

He made it to class before she did. Taking his seat, he crossed his arms over his chest, already feeling the tension in his shoulders. When she walked in the room, Chrissy acted like she didn't have a care in the world and sat down beside Hopper, reapplying her pink lipstick.

Hopper felt her staring at him before she spoke.

"So that's it huh? You're just going to ignore me for days and not even apologize over what that boyfriend stealing whore did?" Chrissy asked loud enough for people directly around them to hear.

Rolling up the sleeves of his flannel, Hopper turned his body every so slightly to face Chrissy.

"There's nothing for me to apologize about. You were being a bitch and Joyce handed your ass to you on a silver platter."

He didn't miss the inhale of his classmates, all of which were waiting on Chrissy's response.

"You're seriously going to sit there and defend the trash Princess, who not only broke one of my teeth, but completely bruised my face and have the nerve to call me a bitch?" Her voice rose in volume.

"Yeah I am. Because you are. You've been harassing Joyce for six years. You all have been." He addressed his classmates. "When you broke her camera all that anger she's been holding in finally broke free. So yeah, I'm going to defend her. You're nothing but a bully Chrissy and in the end, karma always comes around. That goes for all of you." He stated before facing the front of the class, his hands folded on his chest. Their biology professor chose that moment to enter the classroom, silencing the whispers that were escaping from the mouths of his peers. Just one more hour and he would be heading back home to Joyce.

—-

Joyce stood at the front door, watching Mary drive down the driveway as she headed toward the grocery store for some last minute provisions in case the snow really started to come down. Joyce gave her an entire minute after pulling out onto the main road before she was making her way to the horse barn. If she wasn't allowed to do anything to help out while Mary was there, she would do what she could when she wasn't. Opening the barn door, Joyce greeted the horses, all of which would be needing a blanket on their backs tonight.

After rubbing four different noses, Joyce grabbed the brushes from the far wall and headed toward the first stall. She finished the first horse and ignored the exhaustion she was already feeling with such a little task.

A sudden chill ran down the back of her neck when she felt like she was being watched. Putting her back to the stall door, she searches the barn, looking for something she could use to defend herself with in her non dominant hand since her right arm was still useless. Finally her eyes landed on a hatchet and her heartbeat began to quicken. Her fight or flight reflex having a battle inside her body. The sound of quickly approaching footsteps met her ears and she raised the hatchet in front of her, ready to defend herself if necessary. Suddenly the barn door opens, revealing a very sleep deprived Greg.

"Jesus Joyce, what are you doing with that thing?" He asks stepping into the barn and closing the door to block out the weather. Greg notices her quick breathing and defensive posture. Holding his hands up in front of him, he takes a step back from her.

"It's okay, I'm sorry if I snuck up on you or anything. Just breath darlin." He instructs, not wanting her to go into a panic attack on his account. Joyce is still standing, hatchet at the ready.

"Joyce honey, you know I'm not going to hurt you. Just put the hatchet down, we can go back into the house and warm up a bit before dinner."

Joyce begins to take control of her breathing, her mind slowly coming back to her once more. She moved carefully, not trusting herself to outright lay the hatchet down.

"Mr. Hopper I'm so sorry." She begins to cry once her weapon of choice is safely on the ground. Greg's heart breaks for the broken girl in front of him and with his hands still up, he walks toward her, eventually pulling the girl into his arms. He breathes a sigh of relief when she returns the hug.

"Shhh it's okay honey, you have nothing to be sorry about. It's natural for you to be jumpy. It's just a sign that you've been stronger than you should have had to be."

A small groan escapes Joyce's lips when her shoulder starts to cause her discomfort from being held and Greg is quick to let her go.

"Come on darlin, lets get inside before Jim gets home." Greg says, leading Joyce away from the horse barn. Walking beside the man she considered a father, Joyce made her way back to the house just as Mary's car was pulling down the driveway.

"Let's keep this between me and you okay?" Greg states as Mary opens her car door.

"Please tell me she wasn't out trying to do chores?" Joyce hears Mary ask as she loads Greg's arms full of groceries.

"Nah darlin, she was just out walking around with me. I needed to check on the horses before the weather got too bad."

Mary eyes him suspiciously, but didn't say a word as Joyce holds open the front door, allowing The Hoppers to file into the kitchen and begin to unload the groceries. The sound of the front door opening again grabs Joyce's attention. Turning to the right, she sees Jim, a tired smile on his face.

"Hey everybody, what's going on?" He questions, making a beeline for Joyce's side. His hand is in hers in seconds, giving it two quick squeezes. I love you their code said. Joyce was so relieved to have him back at her side that she didn't notice the pile of school work he had placed on the table.

"These are for you. It should keep you occupied for a few hours at least." He grins, going to the fridge to grab some milk.

"Jim you better not drink out of that carton." Mary scolds from her spot near the sink where she's already starting to make dinner.

"Come on Joy, I can help you with your homework upstairs so we're not in moms way." Jim called, gathering Joyce's work in his hands. Once inside his room, he flopped down onto his bed.

"I never realized how much school sucks when I can't look forward to seeing you during the day." Hopper says to Joyce who was carefully sitting down at the foot of the bed.

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad Hop, it's the same as every other day."

"But it wasn't. I kept catching myself looking for you in the hallway when I knew good and damn well you were here at home."

"At least you didn't have to worry about people making fun of me."

"I don't know if I'm going to have to worry about that anymore. Chrissy tried talking to me today and I set her straight. In front of the whole class." He said proudly.

"You did what!?" Joyce exclaimed, moving closer to his side. She watched as his hand reached for her and landed on her upper thigh, where he soothingly ran it up and down her jeans before speaking again.

"It was nothing Joyce I promise. You don't have to worry about anything." Hopper sat up, resting his back against the headboard of his bed. "Come here, it's been a long day and I just want to hold you for a little bit."

Not being able to resist his plea, Joyce moved the best she could into his arms and laid her head on his chest. After a few minutes, she slid her uninjured hand under his shirt and lightly raked her fingertips over his tight abs, sides and chest as she closed her eyes and just relaxed. They laid that way for a while, Joyce just allowing herself to feel the man she had been missing all day, finding the whole thing oddly soothing.

When she finally stopped her movements, Hopper pouted with a groan. She smiled and opened her eyes, instantly noticing the undeniable bulge pressed against his jeans.

"Seriously Hop?" She huffed playfully.

He didn't move, his eyes still closed. "What?"

"You choose now to get a hard on?"

He shifted and looked down at his pants, a smirk on his face. "Yep."

Joyce slapped his arm. "What if your parents walk in here?"

"Well what do you want me to do Joyce? Cut it off?" He asked, rolling his eyes with a laugh. "I can't help it. You touching me feels good, geez."

Joyce took it upon herself to really mess with him then, since he wanted to be a smart ass. Two could play that game. Doing something she'd never done before, she bit her lip and reached down, sliding the palm of her hand over the front of his jeans. The sudden movement caused him to jump and he was quick to put his hand over hers. Shocked at her for making such a bold move.

Swallowing, he attempted to find his voice. "Joyce…you…"

Joyce gave him a mischievous grin and squeezed her fingers around him harder, feeling him twitch. A flood of arousal shook through her body at how big and hard he was under her palm, the only thing separating their touch just a few layers of fabric.

Sucking in a breath, Hopper bit the inside of his cheek nervously. He was about to grab her chin and pull her in for a kiss when he heard someone on the stairs. "Stop, stop…" He choked out, caught off guard when she started moving her hand back and forth against him.

Quickly adjusting himself, he sat up more with his knees bent, watching his dad walk past the open door and toward his bedroom without giving them a second thought.

Hopper sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair. "Jesus Joyce. You can't tease me like that."

Joyce giggled, looking cute as hell curled around her pillow staring up at him. "Why not?" She blinked at him innocently.

Scooting down further so he was laying on his side, eye level with her, he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Because one day I'm not going to stop you and I really don't want to come in my pants like a thirteen year old."

"You could just take your pants off you know…" Joyce raised her brow and grinned at the look he gave her.

Before she knew what was happening, Hopper squeezed her leg right above her knee, using just enough pressure to make it tickle. "Be careful what you ask for Joyce, because as soon as you're better, I'm going to have my way with you." He threatened playfully.

Joyce laughed and shoved his hand away. "Oh really?"

"Really." He smiled, leaning forward to give her a kiss.


	8. Chapter 8

A slamming door was never a good sign. A slamming door in the Hopper household meant that shit was about to go down. Mary stood from the kitchen table, completely forgetting the recipe book in front of her and before she could make the hallway, Greg was in front of her, his face redder than a tomato.

"Greg whats going on?" She questioned, never having seen her husband in such a state. He passes her, heading toward the cabinet above the fridge. Also never a good sign. Greg brings down a bottle of scotch, not bothering with a glass and takes a long sip straight from the bottle. Coming up for a breath, he turns to face Mary who now has her hands on her hips.

"You going to tell me what's going on or are you going to make me guess?"

"Where are the kids?" He asks, moving to sit at the kitchen table. Mary joins him, placing her hand on top of his.

"They went to check on the tree house. They haven't been there since Halloween. Now tell me what's going on Greg." Mary demands, not liking the anger that's rolling off of her husband is waves.

"That bastard is trying to say he never touched Joyce. That he hasn't seen her in weeks. Which I know for a fact is a damn lie, because she was at the trailer when I arrested him for failure to appear. He's saying she wasn't at the trailer when he nearly beat her to death and for some strange reason, the judge is actually willing to hear his side of the story even though everyone knows he's a boldface liar. Mary, you didn't see him... He had blood covering his hands, his shirt... I've never been so happy to see a man with a broken nose in my life. Then he has the balls to say he didn't touch her? He's just ashamed a seventeen-year-old half his size broke his nose." Greg finishes in a rush. Allowing him a few seconds to breathe, Mary begins to formulate a plan.

"Honey, you're going to have to ask her for help. Jim too, I know both of them want to see that bastard behind bars just as much as you do. It's going to hurt like hell for both of them and there's no doubt about that, but you have to clean and stabilize a wound before it begins to heal. The cleaning is always the most painful part, but the relief you feel afterwards makes the pain worth it in the end." Mary reaches for her recipe book and turns to the section on entrees. "What do you say to a chicken pie for dinner?"

—-

"See, I told you Joyce, nothing to worry about. The tree house is still standing." Hopper laughs as their beloved hideaway comes into view. Joyce lets out an audible sigh. It had been three weeks since she had last been to the treehouse. Three full weeks of sleeping in Hoppers' warm and comfortable bed, which she would gladly take that over a cold couch any day. Placing her foot on the bottom run, Joyce attempted to begin her climb, but was stopped when Hopper's hand touched her.

"Are you sure you can climb up there? I don't want you getting hurt." He stated, coming to stand behind her in case she begins to fall.

"I'm fine Hop, I'm out of that sling and all I have is this stupid little brace here on my pinky. I've climbed up here with far worse before."

"Touche." Hopper sighs. "If you start getting tired of anything let me know and I'll carry you up the rest of the way."

"Whatever you say, Hop." She laughed and climbed up the ladder without a problem. Climbing through the hatch, Joyce pulled herself up and surveyed the tree house. The couch was still laid out as a bed and the floor was in serious need of a sweep. Besides that everything seemed to be intact. Hopper reached for the .22 that was still laying on their small table and placed it back in the gun rack.

"Can't believe we haven't been here in almost a month." Joyce pouts, looking for the broom as she goes. She catches Hopper going for the bed. He doesn't slip his shoes off as he lays on his back, resting his hands behind his head.

"Hop, what are you doing?" Joyce huffs, finally finding the broom.

"Staying out of your way while you go on your unnecessary cleaning spree. It's a tree house, Joyce. We're not going to be coming back here for any length of time until at least April, so why worry about cleaning?"

"Because it will make it easier when we do come back." She said, already sweeping debris from the floor into a pile.

"Well, when you're ready to head back to the house, let me know." Hopper sighs, closing his eyes.

"You're really going to let me clean this whole place by myself?" Joyce whined.

"You're the one who wanted to come out here, remember?"

Two can play that game she thought. Placing the broom back in the corner, Joyce walked over to where he was laying and carefully climbed on top of him, straddling his thighs.

Hopper smiled when he felt the bed dip and looked up at her. "Finally realize I was right?"

"Shut up." Leaning forward with a grin, Joyce kissed him hard. Her fingers tangling through his hair as she opened her mouth and allowed him to stroke his tongue against hers. Biting back a moan, Joyce continued to distract him with her lips as she slid her uninjured hand between them, directly over the hardness she could feel beneath his jeans. His hips unconsciously flexed against her palm, a groan catching in his throat.

"Mmm, what are you doing?" Hopper asked, his hands sliding down her back to rest on her hips.

"Nothing, just sitting here, enjoying the view." She teased, kissing her way across his jaw and down his neck. Her fingers stroked over the seam of his crotch, then she grabbed his belt buckle, getting the claps free before his hand covered hers.

Moving to rest on his elbow, he let go of her hand to make her look at him. "Seriously...what are you doing?" He asked, searching her eyes for answers.

Biting her lip, she leaned forward to give him a quick kiss. "Messing around?"

"You know we can't..."

"Why not?" Joyce asked, quickly pulling his belt through the clasp, going for the button on his jeans next.

Hopper swallowed, suddenly nervous when he couldn't give her a reason why. "What exactly is it you want to do?" His hand wrapped around her wrist to keep her from going any further.

Using her free hand, Joyce grabbed the back of Hopper's head, nipping his lip before giving him a slow, deep kiss. "I just want to touch you…"

"Are you sure?" He asked, stroking his thumb against her skin as he continued to hold her.

Joyce pulled on his hair lightly, watching his eyes roll back. "Do you not want me to?"

"No!... I mean, fuck Joyce… I've wanted your hand on my dick since I was fifteen. I just... I just want to make sure that you're ready to do this. I don't want to do anything to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable in any way."

"Hop, you don't know how long I've wanted to touch you. I just couldn't...because I didn't want to feel like I was leading you on, but now…" Joyce falls quiet.

"But now?" Hopper let go of her wrist and moved his hand to brush her cheek.

"Now it's more of an... if this is so wrong, then I don't want to be right type of situation."

Hopper is silent, still searching for the answer to the question he has been asking for years. "What exactly are you saying?" He sits up a little straighter, his crotch unintentionally rubbing against her.

A sigh she had been trying to hold back escapes with his accidental touch. "I'm saying that I'm yours Hop. I want the hand-holding, the dates, the cheesy notes. I want it all, I want-"

Her words are drowned out by Hoppers' lips on hers. He's kissing her like she's oxygen and he's starved for a breath. His hands are on either side of her face, keeping her as close to him as possible. Joyce finds her fingers running through his hair, pulling slightly at the back of his neck.

"I just want you." Joyce whispers as she rests her forehead against his. The idea of finally being his causing her heart rate to increase slightly.

"Just so we're clear...you and I are officially dating? Like I'm your boyfriend dating?" He questions, leaning back onto the bed, allowing her to comfortably sit on his thighs once more.

"Yes Hop, I'm your girlfriend." Joyce smiles, feeling like someone just placed a crown on her head.

"Then I definitely don't see a problem with you continuing your plan of action." He jokes, gently thrusting toward her, keeping his hands on her hips to give her total control. In no time at all, her fingers found their way under his shirt, skimming over the trail of hair leading from his navel down to where it disappeared under the waist of his jeans. Enjoying the feel of his tight muscles against her skin. When she pushed his unclasped belt out of the way, he sucked in a deep breath, suddenly becoming hyper-aware of what was about to happen.

Her delicate fingers made quick work of the button on his jeans and before he knew it, she was slowly pulling down his zipper, exposing the thin material of his boxers, which didn't leave much to the imagination.

Joyce had no idea what to do at this point. Now that one barrier was gone, she started getting nervous. Choosing to avoid looking at his face, she tentatively reached out to grip him through his boxers, running her fingers, then her palm over him gently. She snapped her eyes up to meet his when he sucked in a sharp breath, finding his pupils already blown.

When Joyce paused for more than a few seconds, Hopper squeezed her thighs, trying to keep a clear head. "You don't have to do this Joyce. I won't be mad if you want to stop."

"I just don't know what to do." She admitted and Hopper smiled.

"Do whatever you want."

"When other girls…you know… what did they do that you liked?" She questioned, feeling a hint of anger toward any other female that had touched him before her and shame for being completely clueless when it came to this.

"I wouldn't know...no other girl has touched me the way you are right now Joy."

"Seriously? After all those dates, you never..." She asked, completely baffled.

"Nope. Why would I let someone else touch me when my girl was sitting at home?"

Joyce felt her chest tighten. Amazed he actually waited all this time considering the numerous opportunities thrown his way. Most guys would have jumped on the first available girl willing to show them their boobs, but apparently not Hopper. In a sense she should have known better. For one, he didn't lie to her. And two, he had been telling her for years, almost daily how much he loved her and wanted to be with her. "What if I hurt you?" She finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Finding the entire situation somewhat embarrassing. She just wanted this to be good for him.

A laugh escaped his lips and he instantly felt bad when he saw the look on her face. "I'm sorry...here." Lifting his hips slightly, he gripped the band of his boxers and slid them, along with his jeans down far enough to allow his impressive erection to spring free. "I promise whatever you do, you're not going to hurt me unless you're trying to."

Joyce's eyes went wide when she finally took in all of him laid out bare to her for the first time. She knew he was big, having felt him pressed against her on more than one occasion, but actually seeing it in the flesh was an entirely different experience. Reaching out, she hesitantly wrapped her fingers around his length, but quickly pulled her hand away when he flinched.

"What? What did I do?" She asked, almost panicking.

Hopper chuckled, grabbing her wrist to bring her back. "Nothing, your hands are just fucking cold."

With a sigh, she allowed him to guide her to where her fingers were once again wrapped around him. Taking a few minutes to get used to the weight in her hand, she squeezed him carefully and lightly let her fingertips slide over the smooth skin of the underside of his cock. When she heard him gasp and felt a slight twitch against her hand, a flood of arousal coursed through her own body causing her to press her thighs harder against his.

"Will you show me how?"

Biting his lip to hold back a groan, Hopper placed his hand over hers and linked their fingers together, stroking up and down his cock, squeezing harder each time her hand reached the tip. He purposely made sure her palm slid over the slickness of his precum to spread it back down over his length. "It's OK." He panted when she gasped at the wetness touching her skin. "That's supposed to happen, just means it feels good." Letting her go, he gripped her thighs and watched her tiny hand stroke him exactly how he'd showed her, feeling himself starting to get extremely overwhelmed.

Joyce tried to squeeze her thighs together again to ease the ache between her legs but failed to find any relief until she shifted and ground down against Hopper's leg with a whimper.

"Oh Fuck." Hopper moaned, fisting a hand into the sheet under them when he realized she was practically dry humping him. Thrusting into her hand harder, he bit his lip when her grip was becoming too much. "Joyce...I'm close."

Turning her wrist slightly, Joyce changes the angle of her strokes and moans when his hips leave the bed, pushing his thigh directly against her still aching clit. "Tell me what to do." She chokes out, never slowing her movements.

Hopper squeezed his eyes shut and ran a hand over his face, struggling to form a coherent thought. "I don't…" He starts, reaching out to grab the bottom of the sheet to pull over his middle just as he starts to cum. "Shit…" Is the last word he's able to make out as his release covers Joyce's hand and the sheet. Joyce is amazed by the amount of cum that is currently coating her palm and continues pumping him, enjoying watching him wither beneath her. When she finally stops, both of them are breathing heavily.

"Sorry, it's messy I know." Hopper apologized, taking Joyce's hand out from under the sheet to carefully wipe it off, followed by his dick.

"Is it usually that much"? Joyce questions, feeling a slight stickiness left between her fingers.

"Nah never, that was all because of you Joy." Hopper mumbles against her lips. Even though he just blew the biggest load of his life he can already feel himself getting hard again in his jeans. "We need to come clean the treehouse more often." He laughs, ignoring the playful slap Joyce puts on his chest.

—-

Knowing they have been gone for longer than this task should have taken, they carefully climb down the ladder and head back to the farm. Taking a pack of camels from his coat pocket, Hopper lights one of his last cigarettes and takes a long drag. When he offers it to Joyce, she takes it into her small hand and brings it to her lips.

"You promise that was okay back there?" She asked as she exhaled, smoke coming from her lungs and out into the chilly air.

"Words can't even describe how amazing it was Joy. Now I'll have to return the favor." Hopper puts his arm around Joyce's shoulder as they walk.

"Hopper you don't have to return any favors, it's just something I wanted to try."

"And what if I want to try stuff too?" He asks, taking his cigarette back from her. "I mean, you seemed to enjoy Halloween a hell of a lot." He laughs as Joyce playfully shoves his shoulder.

The sight of the farmhouse promised warmth and a hot meal. Mary had been deciding on what to make for dinner when they had left for the tree house. Kicking the light snow off of their boots, Hopper and Joyce walked into the house, both sighing at the heat that enveloped them. Walking into the kitchen however, they weren't met with the smell of dinner. Instead Mary and Greg were both huddled around the kitchen table. Countless photos from Joyce's black box and random documents littering the surface and surrounding chairs. Deep in conversation, the Hoppers didn't hear Joyce and Jim enter the house. Instantly feeling the change in Joyce's demeanor, Hopper shuffled in front of her, blocking the majority of the pictures from view.

"What's going on?" Jim calls out. His parents startle at the sudden sound of their son's voice.

"Jim we were just...we didn't hear you come in." Mary stutters, frantically trying to gather up the papers and photographs from the table. Hopper felt Joyce move around his body, allowing her to fully see what's going on in front of her. When Greg's eyes land on Joyce she can't help but to feel shame for the second time that day.

"It's okay Mrs. Hopper, it's not like I haven't seen it all before." Joyce says, moving further into the kitchen. She hesitantly sits down at the table, suddenly surrounded by images she knows she will never be able to forget. Hopper sits down beside her, his hand finding hers under the table, her braced pinky finger sitting outside his grip. Greg is the first to break the silence, knowing he's going to have to broach the subject of their help sooner rather than later.

"Travis is saying he never touched you, Joyce. That all these bruises came from somewhere else and for some reason, the judge is willing to hear his side of the story. It's in your best interest for us to make a timeline, documenting anything and everything he's ever done to you."

The Hopper's watch as Joyce picks a photograph up from the table. Examining the black and purple bruise she had on her back earlier this year. Fighting the tears she knew were coming, she laid the photo back down on the table.

"This was because I didn't have a perfect time for the track part of the spring physical in April." Joyce slid the photo over, reaching for one where she had marks on her ribs.

"And this one was for making a B in calculus." Her voice hitched and Hopper instantly picked up on the change in her breathing.

"Joyce you don't have to do this." He protested, knowing it was hurting him about half as bad as it was her.

"He has to pay for what he did and if that means that I have to endure making a timeline, then that's what I'll do." She felt Hopper's hand slide to her knee. Mary moved first, taking a small pen and paper, she wrote down the cause of the beating and when. Carefully attaching it to the photo with a piece of masking tape, she did the same for the second photograph. For twenty minutes the family sat at the table, labeling and discussing the photographs. It wasn't until a loud knock came from the front door that they realized they hadn't even made a dent in the black box. Glancing down at his watch, Greg stands from the table.

"Who the hell could that be?" He wonders aloud.

"Lord I didn't realize it was so late, and I haven't even started cooking dinner yet!" Mary exclaims, quickly getting to her feet and heading for the fridge.

Joyce feels Hopper's hand on her shoulder and he starts rubbing small circles to try and calm her.

"You okay Joy?" He whispers, not wanting to draw attention to the obvious anxiety she's feeling. He watches as she nods and reaches for another photo.

"This one came from when I wouldn't tell him where I had been all weekend." She halfheartedly smiled, looking back up to Hopper. "It was that weekend when you and me went down to-"

"I already told you, if she doesn't want to see you then you're leaving, no if's and's or but's about it." Greg's voice echoes down the hallway. The sound of two separate bodies moving their way reaches the kitchen and Hopper can already feel Joyce shaking. Standing to his full height, he stands beside Joyce, ready to block her from whoever is approaching with his father.

"I'm not going to hurt her Greg, I just need to see her." A feminine voice exclaims from the hallway. Greg is the first to enter the kitchen, followed by a woman Joyce hadn't seen in eleven years. Standing in the doorway of the Hopper's kitchen was Linda, her biological mother.

—-

"What are you doing here Linda?" Mary asks from her spot at the sink. She watches as Linda's eyes quickly scan the kitchen, before landing on Joyce and the remaining pictures on the table.

"Oh my Joyce, I'm so sorr-"

"Don't." The single word pushes past Joyce's lips and Linda snaps her mouth shut.

Mary can feel the anger and hatred rolling off not only Joyce, but Greg and Jim as well. She sees Jim place his hands protectively on both of Joyce's shoulders and notices he's taking care not to touch her right one with too much pressure. Linda is focusing on the photos on the table too much for Mary's liking. Ignoring the silence in the room, she quickly grabs a tablecloth from the pantry and places it on the table, covering up any and all the evidence they had against Travis with one quick swoop.

"Why don't we go into the sitting room so everyone can talk?" Greg states, noticing the look of murder in his wife's eyes.

"That would be a splendid idea Greg, I'm sure we all have a lot of catching up to do." Linda's voice fills the kitchen, her eyes still resting on Joyce and Hopper.

"Right this way then." He instructs, motioning for her to follow him out of the kitchen. The moment Linda is out of earshot, Mary is at Joyce's side.

"Honey, you don't have to say a word to her if you don't want to. You just tell me when and I'll kick her out of her faster than a buttered bullet okay?"

Joyce nods and stands from the table. Hopper has his hand in hers in seconds.

"I'm right behind you Joy, I promise, nothing is going to happen to you." He whispers into her ear.

Joyce takes his hand in hers and leads the way towards the sitting room.

Linda is already sitting down in one of the high backed chairs and Greg is leaning close to the rarely-used fireplace. When Joyce enters, she can feel both Greg and Linda's eyes landing on her and Hopper's hands. Quickly claiming the love seat as theirs, Joyce sits and stares at Linda, waiting for her to begin speaking.

"Hey baby doll, you've grown up so much since the last time I saw you." Linda exclaims, focusing all of her attention on Joyce.

"Yeah, that's what happens when you don't see someone for a decade, Linda." Joyce snipped, eyeing the women who had abandoned her years before.

"What do you want Linda?" Jim's voice deadpanned. It was taking every last bit of his willpower not to throw the women who had left Joyce alone with that monster out of his family home.

"Well, I see the politeness just flows from this house." Linda commented, straightening the leg of her light pink pantsuit. "Word got around through my church that Travis had been arrested and is to be tried for child abuse and attempted rape. When I knew it was safe to come back-"

"You go to church?" Joyce mouthed off, not giving a damn about the look Linda was giving her

"What do you mean attempted rape? Joyce what is she talking about?" Hopper's voice broke through the chatter of the room, unfortunately his question went unnoticed.

"Well yes, of course, I am a preacher's wife, it would be unforgivable of me not to attend." She voiced.

"Wait, wait, wait...So you're telling me that you left me ten years ago and just completely got a new life? You married a preacher? Next, you're going to tell me I have a brother." Joyce laughed, moving to the edge of her seat.

"You have three actually." Linda replied, looking down at her polished nails. The sitting room falling silent.

"You have gotta be shitting me!" Joyce suddenly yelled, making Hopper jump at her sudden outburst.

"Maybe I should make some coffee." Mary suggested, sidestepping out of the room. She needed an excuse to leave before she hit that horrible woman.

"Watch your language young lady!" Linda snapped, looking at Joyce as if she had been raised by a pack of wolves.

"I most certainly will not watch my language! You fucking left me! A seven-year-old, with a man who beat you every fucking night, who hurt me for doing the dishes wrong. You left without a word and all of a sudden you show up here, after ten fucking years and for what? To reconnect with the daughter you abandoned? To tell me that I have a stepdad whose a preacher and three brothers who probably don't even know my name? Does your husband even know I exist?" She screams, unable to hold back the rage anymore.

"Of course he doesn't cupcake..."

"Don't fucking call me that. I am not your precious fucking cupcake. I am the daughter you abandoned in a drug-induced haze who never heard from you again! Do you know what he did to me? What I've had to endure over the years? He broke my fucking nose, dislocated my god damn collar bone and beat me until I couldn't move on countless occasions. Those pictures you saw in the kitchen do not do justice to the torture my body has been through because of you and him! If it wasn't for the Hopper's taking me in I would have died in that fucking trailer because you didn't have the guts to take me with you! Your own damn daughter! Now you come crawling back here asking for what? Forgiveness? I won't give you the satisfaction of being forgiven! I want it to sit and eat away at you like his touch did me!" Joyce screamed, her throat giving out with the force of her anger.

"But I'm your mother!" Linda cries standing to her feet.

"My mother is in the kitchen making your fucking coffee!" The room echoes with Joyce's words. She's holding back tears, refusing to let the women in front of her see her cry. Greg steps up from the fireplace then, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Linda I think it's time for you to go. She's said her peace. Now leave her be." His authoritative voice demands. Stepping between Joyce and Linda, Greg directs the woman toward the front of the house. Seconds later, they heard the front door open and the sound of a car starting fills the night. When Greg returns, informing them that Linda has left, all the rage Joyce was feeling quickly turned to exhaustion. The tears she had been trying so hard to hold back broke like a damn and trickle down her cheeks onto her red sweater. She feels Hopper's hand on her hip, trying to turn her to him, and as bad as she wants to just lay in his arms until she forgets this whole ordeal she cant. She needed to be alone to breathe.

"Hop, I can't right now, I need some time alone, to think." She whispers, hoping he understood. Hopper gives her a sad smile before laying a light kiss on her forehead.

"Don't wander off too far. It's cold outside." He coaxes, giving her hand two quick squeezes, before letting her go. Joyce was out the front door in seconds, already knowing her destination. The old porch swing to the right of the Hopper's front door had been a favorite spot of Joyce's for as long as she could remember. The wood chilled her skin through the denim of her jeans as she climbed into the swing, but the cold was the last thing on her mind.

The farm is silent with the exception of the slight squeaking of the old chains on the swing. Joyce quickly wipes her eyes when the sound of the front door opening intrudes on her thoughts. Mary is making her way over to her, a blanket over her arm and a cup of steaming hot chocolate in her hand.

"Figured you could use something warm for your throat." Mary commented, placing the cup down on a small side table. "Mind if I join you?" She questioned, gesturing to the spot to Joyce's right. Joyce shook her head, holding the swing still with her tiptoes while Mary climbed up and threw the flannel blanket over both of their laps.

"Joyce, honey you have every right to be mad at her. She left you and no mother should ever abandon her child. No matter how bad the circumstances are. You've been through more than any woman should have to go through, and it has made you so very strong. You've said your peace to her. She knows how you feel, and that anger that you're holding inside, you need to let it go honey. If you don't, it will eat you alive until there is nothing else, and darling you've fought too damn hard to let something like that tear you down." Mary finishes, opening her arms as Joyce leans into her. Mary holds her tightly against the November chill.

"You may not have come from my body Joyce, but you are my daughter. I'm here whenever you need me, no matter what time of the day or night. I'm here to protect you from whatever demons may come knocking on your door, understand?"

Joyce can't help the tears that are falling and stinging her cheeks in their wake.

"Now we're going to sit out here for a few more minutes and you cry all you need to, but once we leave this swing, we're not going to shed another tear for Linda again, agreed?"

"Yeah, I think I can do that." Joyce whispered, not wanting to strain her voice any more than she already had that evening.

"Good, because once we've gathered ourselves, I'm sending you and Jim to the diner. After all that I don't feel like cooking chicken pie tonight."

"I honestly can't say I blame you. I'm sorry for my language in your house Mrs. Hopper."

"Don't think nothing of it honey, I wanted to tell the bitch off too. And you don't have to call me Mrs. Hopper. You can call me Mary or mom if you'd like darling."

Joyce, nodded, moving to fist her hand in the blanket on their lap.

"What do you say we go inside Mom? It's getting a little cold out here."


	9. Chapter 9

Hopper stood in the sitting room with his father, not willing to admit it was killing him that it was his mother, and not him that was comforting Joyce on the front porch. His head was swimming with questions. What did Linda mean by an attempted rape? Did it happen when Travis beat the shit out of her a few weeks ago or before? Why didn't she tell him? Hopped pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Don't worry about it son, women are complex creatures. I've been with your mother for going on thirty years now, and there are still days when I can't read her."

"What did Linda mean about an attempted rape dad? What am I not being told?" Hopper demanded as he began to pace around the sitting room, his frustration not letting him stand in one place.

"Jim, just sit down son." Greg instructs, feeling the tension that's coming from his son.

"I don't want to sit down, I want to know what the hell is going on!" Hopper tried to keep his voice at a reasonable level and failed miserably. He had never been one to yell in anger, especially toward his father, but he was having a hard time controlling his emotions.

"Look Jim, when Joyce was at the station filing a report, she said that Travis had tried to rape her. Said that he lifted her shift up and was unbuttoning her pants when she was able to kick him in the nose. She didn't want you to know." Greg stated, running his hands through his hair.

"Why the hell did she not want me to know!?"

"Because she knew you would react like this son!" Greg raised his voice back and they both stood in silence for a few seconds, both of them trying to douse the anger that was flooding through them.

"Joyce told us she didn't want you to know because she was worried about how you would react. She was afraid that you would treat her different and in my honest opinion I agree with her. I know that the two of you have some kind of relationship, be it best friends, dating, or whatever, and she wasn't willing for it to change in the slightest. So she said not to say anything to you. I get it son, you love her. Sometimes she's going to need space or she's going to need to keep things away from you, to protect you. Just keep that in mind. She's not as fragile as you think she is." Greg gives his son a fatherly slap on the back just as Joyce and Mary come through the front door.

"Joyce and I have decided to pick dinner up tonight, I hope you boys don't mind." Mary calls from the hallway.

When Joyce rounds the corner, she almost runs smack into Hopper. "Whoa, didn't expect you to be so close." She hoarsely comments as her hand quickly intertwines with his.

"Jim, do you feel like running into town to pick up dinner? I just want to take a shower, have a nice drink and try to relax after all this." Greg questions from Mary's side.

"Not at all dad, just call Patty and put our order in. I'll get my usual." Hopper sighs, not really sure what to feel at that moment.

"Same for me Mr. Hopper." Joyce says and turns to place her head on Jim's chest, oblivious to the mood he's in. Hopper doesn't miss the grin his mother fails to hide as she turns to go into the kitchen. Once his parents are out of view, Hopper wraps Joyce tightly in his arms, needing to feel her after the events of the evening.

"Do you want to ride with me to pick up dinner?" Hopper mumbles into the top of Joyce's head.

"Absolutely, just give me a second to grab my coat. It's freezing outside."

Reluctantly, he lets Joyce go upstairs to get her coat and heads to the hall closet to grab his own. When he closes the door, Mary is standing right behind it, making him jump at her sudden appearance.

"Patty said they were pretty busy tonight, might be thirty minutes or so before the foods ready. Just thought you should know in case you and Joyce wanted to ride around for a few minutes." Mary reaches up and places her hand on Hopper's cheek.

"You have to quit growing son, I can barely meet your eyes anymore." She giggles, knowing if he's anything like his father, he would still shoot up six or seven inches before he was finished growing.

"I'll try my best mom." He laughs. Hearing Joyce coming down the steps, Hopper steps away from his mother and pats his front right pocket of his jeans to check for his keys.

"You ready to go?" He asks Joyce, who is zipping up her coat.

"Whenever you are."

Hopper opens the front door, slightly losing his breath when the cold air hits him in the face.

"Holy hell, feels like its negative ten out here." He mumbled, quickly going to his truck to get the heat going.

"It's not so bad." Joyce states, jumping into his truck and sliding to the middle of the bench seat. Hopper quickly follows, putting the key into the ignition and turning the motor over. The truck roars to life as he straightens his coat and Joyce scoots as close as she possibly can to into his side.

"Besides, the cold gives me an excuse to be closer to you." Joyce sighed and carefully lifts up his coat and t-shirt. She can practically hear herself moan when her cold hands come in contact with the warm heat of his skin.

"Jesus Christ! How the hell are your fingers not falling off? You're freezing!" Hopper slightly recoils from her cold touch, but the urge to keep her warm outweighs his need for comfort.

"I'm always cold Hop, just makes it worse when the weather changes." Joyce halfheartedly smiles as she finally takes her hands off of Hopper's side and places them in her coat pockets.

The two rode in silence for a few short minutes, both of them just enjoying the peace from being out of the house. It's not until Hopper notices Joyce wincing at the opposing headlights on the road that he breaks the silence.

"Everything okay Joy?" He questions, lifting his arm to allow her to place her head on his shoulder. She turns her face into his coat, doing her best to block out the bright headlights.

"Yeah, I've just had a headache since all that shit with Linda, and it just seems to be getting worse."

"Did you take one of your pills? The doctor at the hospital said headaches were more than likely going to happen with the trauma you went through."

"I've been out of them for about a week now." Joyce confesses.

"What? Jesus, Joyce why didn't you tell me? I could have gotten your prescription filled before you completely ran out." He scolds as he turns into the diners parking lot.

"Because medicine costs money, something I don't have a lot of. Figured I'd just tough it out and it would eventually go away."

"You had to have been taking at least two a day to be out of them now. You should have told us you were having so many headaches."

"Like I've said Hop, I don't want to be a burden."

"Well as of four pm today we are officially dating. That means that you aren't a burden and if I do something to help you, that's just me being a great boyfriend. And as that great boyfriend my first act will be to get that prescription filled tomorrow morning." He states matter of factly. Before Joyce can tell him not to, Hopper opens the driver door and slides out of the truck.

"I'm leaving the heat on for you, I'll be right back." He closes his truck door and quickly runs inside. Joyce watches him through the glass windows of the diner. He's standing at the register. talking with the owner Patty and Joyce smiles despite her headache when she sees him throw back his head in laughter at one of old man Kelly's corny jokes. Gathering their bags into one hand, Hopper throws a wave over his shoulder to the rest of the dinner occupants before coming back outside.

Opening the passenger door, Hopper places the bags in the floorboard before hastily running behind his truck and into the cab.

"Sorry about that, everyone loves to joke with the chief's kid." He confesses, throwing the truck into reverse. Joyce squints her eyes when a car with their high beams on pulls in from the opposite direction. Her head was really beginning to pound, almost like she had a heartbeat in her skull. Hopper places his hand on her thigh, trying to comfort her in the best way he can at the moment.

"How about after dinner we go to my room and lay down huh? It's been one hell of a day and I honestly just want to lay down and hold you."

Joyce sighs, once again burning her head into his shoulder.

"Sounds like a plan to me." She mumbled, her words barely audible through the layer of wool from his coat.

"Are you sure you're okay Joyce? You've hardly touched your food." Greg states as he wipes his mouth with a napkin.

"I'm just not feeling too great Mr. Hopper." she admits as she feels Jim's gaze fall on her.

"Probably just the stress of the day coming down on you honey. Why don't you go ahead and go upstairs and get ready for bed?" Mary suggests as she rises to put plates in the kitchen sink.

"Yeah, I think that's what I'm going to do. Thank you for dinner." Joyce whispers, getting to her feet and slowly walking toward the steps. Hopper stands to follow, but the clearing of his father's throat fills the kitchen, gathering his attention. Once he's made sure Joyce is out of earshot, he sits back down at the table.

"Everything alright with Joyce, Jim?" Greg questions, taking a sip from his cup.

"She said her head was starting to hurt her about the time Linda showed up, then it just progressed from there." Jim admitted as he fidgeted with a lone ketchup packet on the table.

"She'll be fine once she takes her medicine." Mary soothes, taking her seat beside Greg once more.

"She won't be able to take it until I get it refilled tomorrow morning. Apparently she has been out for a week or so now and just told me tonight. Said she doesn't want to be a burden and she didn't have enough money to get it filled."

"I don't understand what she doesn't understand about her not being a burden to us." Mary sighed, taking a small sip of her steaming coffee.

"I don't know either mom, it's just the way she is I guess."

"We have to go into town tomorrow morning anyway son, we can fill her prescription then. Hopefully, with a little sleep her headache will ease up a bit."

Hopper watched as his father reached for his mother's hand and brought it to his lips, placing a light kiss on her knuckles. Taking that as his cue to leave, he stood from the table and raced to the steps, not liking being away from Joyce even for such a short period of time. Opening his cracked bedroom door, he found her already laying in the bed, her bedside lamp off. She groaned when the light from the hallway flooded the darkroom.

"Sorry, I can't exactly see in the dark." He laughed.

Pulling his long sleeve shirt over his head, he instantly felt goosebumps cover his back and chest and decided to sleep in a shirt and sweatpants. Making his way to the closet, he quickly pulled his sweats over his hips and turned toward the bed to find Joyce with her head buried under her pillow.

"Just let me close the door and I'll be right there Joy." He didn't give his eyes time to adjust before carefully walking toward his bed, praying the entire way he didn't stub any of his toes. When his hands touch his bed he lets out a sigh of relief. Gently crawling underneath the blanket, he faces Joyce's back and pulled her to him, resting his chest against her.

"I'm sorry you don't feel good." He whispers, not wanting his voice to make her head throb. Joyce didn't respond with words, but let a slight snore escaped her lips. Hopper smiled at the sound and placed a light kiss to her shoulder. He rested his hand on her hip and closed his eyes, beginning to chase his own dreams for the night.

_Not again_ Hopper thought as he slowly opened his eyes, feeling Joyce twitching beside him under the covers.

Almost a month has passed since the incident with Travis, and Joyce's progress in healing both mentally and physically had been improving far quicker than any of the Hoppers had expected. She no longer flinched every time someone entered a room, she had better control over her anxiety and her shoulder was almost back to normal. Her nightmares had been few and far between. Everything had been moving in a positive direction until Linda decided to drop a bomb onto the Hopper household that evening.

Her last nightmare had been several days ago, but because of fucking Linda, Joyce was currently whimpering in her sleep and clutching the comforter to her chest.

Hopper moved to sit up, keeping his distance to not get hit if she decided to flail and reached out to rub his hand up and down her arm. "Joyce." He calls, shaking her gently. Making his voice a little louder when nothing changed. "Come on Joyce, wake up."

Suddenly Joyce started screaming which was something she had never done before, causing Hopper to jump out of his skin and pull his hand away thinking he had hurt her somehow. "Shhhh, it's ok." He watched as she jerked, her hand finding its way into her hair where she threads her fingers through the strands and continues to yell.

"Hop! Hopper!" Joyce screamed his name, her chest rising and falling rapidly as panic flashed across her face.

Hopper was about to reach for her again but jumped for a second time when his door swung open and the light flicked on, revealing both of his parents standing in the doorway, his father had his pistol drawn and pointed toward the floor.

"What the hell is going on Jim?" Greg asked, looking around the room for an intruder of some sort.

"I don't know!" He says, getting out of the bed, thankful at that moment he had chosen to sleep in a shirt and sweatpants instead of just his boxers. "I can't get her to stop. Normally it passes within a few minutes."

Greg places his pistol on his son's dresser after putting the safety back on and steps forward to take in the situation.

Jim holds his hand out when his mother walks around to the side of the bed where Joyce is laying. "Mom be careful, she almost broke my nose the last time I couldn't get her to wake up."

Joyce screams out again, not making any sense as she begins to roll in her sleep. Mary had just reached her side when she rolls out of bed and hits the floor with a loud thump. The room is silent for a second before all three Hoppers are standing over her shaking body. Her knee is in the air and her screams have stopped. The only sign of the nightmare remaining is the sweat on her face and her labored breathing.

Once she catches her breath, Joyce quickly scoots away from the three pairs of staring eyes and curls into a ball against the wall near the bed. The pain in her head is unbearable, making her almost completely forget about the nightmare she'd been having.

"Joyce?" Hopper's voice calls out.

She ignores him, whimpering into her knees that are drawn against her chest when it feels like someone is stabbing the base of her skull with a fire poker. "I'm gonna be sick." She manages to choke out, a wave of nausea washing over her.

Mary is quick to help her stand, carefully guiding her to the bathroom, Jim right behind them. They barely make it in front of the toilet before Joyce is clutching the sides and puking into the bowl.

"Grab me a wet washcloth, Jim." Mary asked, dropping to her knees behind Joyce to hold back her hair.

Hopper opens the small closet in the bathroom and grabs a hand towel. He turns on the faucet and takes in a deep breath to stay calm. "Mom, what's happening?" He asked, hoping she doesn't pick up on how scared he is as he hands her the wet cloth.

"It's just a migraine son." Greg says from the doorway.

Mary carefully adjusts the cloth on the back of Joyce's neck when she moves away from the toilet to lean against the wall with her eyes closed.

"Are you sure?" It wasn't like Jim didn't trust his father, he just wanted to make sure Joyce was alright. "Do we need to take her back to the hospital?"

"She'll be fine once she gets her medicine. Right now she just needs a quiet, dark room." Greg announces, standing up from the door frame he has been leaning on.

"Do you think you can stand Joyce?" Mary asks as she rubs the poor girls back. Joyce shakes her head and instantly regrets the jarring movement.

"I've got her mom." Hopper offers. Once Mary is at Greg's side, Hopper is bending over to collect Joyce into his arm.

"Just put your hands around my neck." He gently instructs. Once he feels her cold hands on the back of his neck, he lifts her to his chest and stands straight. Motioning for his parents to go first, the group shuffles down the hallway back to Jim's room.

"Go pull the curtains closed Greg, the sun will be rising soon." Mary instructs, her motherly instincts going into overdrive. She fixes the comforter on the bed before Jim gently lays Joyce down and places the wet washcloth over her eyes.

Greg is reaching for his pistol, double-checking that the safety is in fact on.

"We've got at least two more hours before the pharmacy opens Jim. Why don't you and I get a jump start on chores while your mom makes breakfast? That'll give Joyce time to rest and then we can just relax this evening."

Knowing this is the best choice of action, Hopper nods and looks back down at Joyce's still form.

"Let me throw some clothes on and I'll meet you downstairs in ten dad."

Reluctantly, Hopper dresses for the day, choosing his most comfortable work clothes for the occasion. Before he leaves his room, he makes sure Joyce is tucked into bed safe and sound. Carefully placing a kiss on her cheek, he grabs his hat from the headboard and closes the door with a soft click.

Shower and sleep. Those were the only two things left on Hopper's agenda for the day. His parents had informed him they would be in town for a while, so he was going to take advantage of an early afternoon nap. That is, as soon as he washed the smell of horse shit from his skin.

Peeking in to check on Joyce, he found her still fast asleep. She had rolled over some time or another and was currently hugging his pillow to her chest. Even in dreams she still needs me he smiled to himself as he grabbed a fresh pair of sweatpants from his dresser.

The cold from the laminate flooring in the bathroom stung the bottom of Hoppers' feet as he waited for the warm water to slowly make its way through the pipes of the house that had been in his family for three generations. When steam finally began to cling to the mirror he peeled off his filthy work clothes and threw them into the hamper in the corner. Never in his life had he ever been more thankful for hot water and old spice.

He rubbed the body bar between his hand and washcloth, transferring the suds from the bar to the fabric. Normally he just ran the bar over his skin, but today, he felt like he needed an extra hand getting clean. Hopper hung his head. Allowing the hot water to hit the back of his neck. He watched as the dirt and grime of the day swirled at his feet before finally going down the drain. The past few days had been a whirlwind of emotions both good and bad. Joyce had finally said yes to him, then of course Linda had to come and put a damper on the mood. Then finding out about the whole attempted rape situation. Add that to the stress of trying to make the case timeline and he was as tired as he had ever been.

Reaching for the generic shampoo his mother insisted on, Hopper squeezed a generous amount into the palm of his hand before working the liquid into the roots of his hair. He ignored the sting the suds caused in his eyes and he quickly rinsed his hair, not wanting the water to go completely cold on him. Shutting off the water, he stepped out, grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it around his waist. He ran his hand over the fogged mirror, taking in his reflection for what felt like the first time in months. His tan had faded with the start of fall and the stubble on his cheeks was coming in nicely. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he loved it when Joyce raked her nails over his chin. He toweled off and pulled on his sweatpants, sprayed on some deodorant and brushed his teeth, grimacing at the burn from the mouthwash. Opening the bathroom door he padded downstairs, the couch in the living room was calling his name. His head had barely hit the pillow which was tucked against the armrest before he was out cold.

Alone. This was the first time in months that Joyce had woken up alone. She had reached for Hopper's hand, only to find his side of the bed empty and cold. Her head pounded as she sat up and glanced around the room for any sign of Hopper. She rubbed her hands over her eyes when she saw the time on the clock. One pm? Had she really slept that long? Sitting up, she carefully placed her feet on the floor. The movement of her sitting made her stomach roll, throwing up earlier had made her feel better, but the aching in her skull was still there. Pulling the comforter off of the bed, she wrapped it around her shoulders and tiptoed to the door. Cracking it open, she was met with the bright light of the hallway. Quickly closing it back, she squinted as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room once more. Sunglasses she thought, moving toward Hopper's dresser. Opening the top shelf, she rummaged around before her hands landed on the wire-framed glasses Hopper wore when he went on ride alongs with his dad. Sliding them over the slight bump in her nose, Joyce once again walked toward the bedroom door, opening it for a second time.

The light was at least bearable with his glasses on. Making sure the blanket was secure around her small body, Joyce found her way downstairs, looking for a sign that anyone was home or awake. At the bottom of the stairs, a sound she would know anywhere met her ears. Walking into the living room, Joyce was met with the loud sound of Hopper's snoring. He was fast asleep on the couch, his right arm thrown over his eyes and a foot dangling toward the floor. Without thinking, Joyce walked toward the couch and carefully climbed on top of him, chest to chest, finally finding a comfortable position resting her stomach between his thighs. She felt his body move underneath her as he slightly came too.

"Joyce? What are you doing?" He whispered, looking down his chest to the small woman who was currently sandwiching him between herself and the couch.

"Woke up. You weren't there." She mumbled, folding her arms onto his chest.

"Mom and Dad said you needed your rest, I didn't want to bother you." He mumbled, reaching to help her pull the comforter over both of their bodies.

"You're never a bother Hop. I missed you." She snuggled into his body, not caring that Mary and Greg could walk in any moment. Goosebumps erupted over her skin as Hopper placed his warm hand on her lower back, pushing her closer to him.

"Why are you wearing my sunglasses?" He questioned sleepily, raising an eyebrow at her.

"It's bright in the hallway and my head still hurts."

"Ahh makes sense."

The room is quiet with the exception of their breathing and it doesn't take long before the two are both back asleep.

"All I'm saying is we need to start working on that float for the police department honey. The parade is in a few weeks and we haven't even come up with a plan yet." Mary states, closing the truck door as she and Greg walked up to the porch. Opening the front door, Greg was surprised to find no sign of his son anywhere.

"Maybe he's taking a nap on the couch." Mary whispered, hanging her coat up in the hall closet. Walking into the living room, she stopped in the doorway, the sight in front of her making her smile. She shushed Greg when he came around the corner, not really paying attention to who was in the room. Joyce and Jim were both fast asleep on the couch and Jim had one arm at the small of Joyce's back. The other, she suspected was resting on Joyce's ass cheek. Both of them snored lightly dead to the world.

"Took long enough." Greg whispered, from behind Mary as he pulled his wife to him.

"No kidding, I thought they were going to be in college before it finally happened." She giggled, leaning back into Greg's embrace.

"It's going on three, should we wake them?" He questions, finding a belt loop on Mary's jeans and hooking his thumb through it.

"She needs to take her meds, besides that let them sleep. Hell, I wouldn't mind a nap myself. What do you say Chief?"

"Sounds like a plan to me darlin."

Greg went to the kitchen to get Joyce a glass of water while Mary quietly called the girl's name.

Not wanting to get punched in the face, she refrained from shaking Joyce awake. Finally, she stirred, lifting her head from Jim's chest.

"Hey, its okay honey, just need you to take your meds then you can go right back to sleep." Mary informed, handing Joyce the small white pill. She popped it into her mouth and gratefully took a long drink of water.

"Go on back to sleep, I'll wake y'all up for dinner when it's ready."

Mary knew Joyce hadn't even heard her last words before she was back asleep, nuzzling her head into Jim's chest. Smiling at two of the most important people in her world, Mary stood and went upstairs, wanting to nap with the third.


	10. Chapter 10

The smell of pork chops woke Joyce from her medicated coma. Reaching out with her other senses, she heard Hopper's heartbeat beneath her and felt his hand on her ass cheek. The realization of this brought a smile to her lips and hesitantly, she opened her eyes. The living room was dark, only a single beam of light from the hallway touching the rug.

Hopper stirred under Joyce's weight. He felt her ass in his palm and quickly moved his hand up to her lower back. As usual when he first wakes up, he was already hard and in seconds, Joyce would be feeling him pressing against her stomach.

"Happy to see me Hop?" She whispered. Reaching between their bodies, Joyce ran her hand over his length, knowing good and damn well he didn't have boxers on under his sweatpants.

"Joyce…" He warned. Not trusting himself or her after finding out what had really happened with Travis. It wasn't so much he didn't really trust her, he just wanted to make sure she wasn't suffering from some sort of PTSD.

"Yes Hopper?"

Footsteps could be heard coming from the hallway and both teenagers acted as if they were still asleep. Light flooded the living room as Mary flipped the switch on the wall.

"Kids, time to wake up, dinners ready!" She calls cheerfully. Hopper sat up first, nearly dropping Joyce into the floor in his haste.

"Shit sorry Joyce."

"Jim watch your language in the house." Mary scolded before turning on her heel and walking out of the living room.

Joyce righted herself and glared at Hopper.

"What was that?" She grumbled, putting her hands on her hips.

"Nothing, just starving is all." Hopper lied. He didn't want to bring up the rape attempt right before dinner. Joyce didn't eat enough as it is. "Come on, let's go wash up."

"Did I do something wrong?" Joyce questioned, trying to calm the uneasiness that's starting to overwhelm her body.

"No Joy, we're fine. I'm just a little cranky and hungry is all. You've done nothing, I promise we're good." Hopper takes his hand and threads his fingers through hers.

"Now come on, I feel like I could eat a whole cow by myself."  
-

The kitchen is slightly smokey when Joyce and Hopper enter. Mary is placing the last few bowls on the kitchen table, while Greg places silverware at everyone's seat.

"Is there anything I can help with Mary?" Joyce questions standing off from Hopper who is still washing his hands at the kitchen sink.

"No dear, everything is ready, you just sit right on down." Mary says as she sits in front of the mashed potatoes. Joyce complies and takes a seat to her left. Once the men have found their seats, Mary begins to pass around the night's sides which consist of mashed potatoes, corn, and green beans. The table is weirdly quiet. Neither Joyce or Hopper saying anything.

"So… when did this happen?" Mary broke the silence, pointing with her butter knife between Hopper and Joyce. Hopper didn't miss the smile that broke out on Joyce's face. Looking down at his watch, he did some quick calculations before looking back at his mother.

"About twenty six hours ago." He moved his hand to meet Joyce's across the table. Noticing the blush that was covering her cheeks.

"Well it's about damn time! I thought the two of you would be out of college before you finally made it official." Greg laughed, bringing his glass of sweet tea in the air in a quick toast.

"To Joyce and Jim. The kids who should have been dating for six years finally admit their feelings."

"Dad!" Hopper groans, hiding his face in the hand that wasn't currently wrapped in Joyce's.

"Ahh come on Jim, we all knew you liked her, I remember that one time you fell asleep on the couch and-"

"Mom no! Can we please not do this? Yes, Joyce and I are dating, it's not that big of a deal." Hopper yells, stabbing his mac and cheese with his fork.

"Not a big deal? What do you mean, you two have been in love with each other for years and it's all finally all coming together!" Mary claps her hands together in front of her. "Why the next thing you know, you two will be getting married and I'll have four grand babies and-"

"Four?"

"Grand babies?" Joyce and Hopper both began to shovel food into their mouths, not caring that they were making a mess or missing their mouths completely in a hurry to be away from his parents. Both teens cleared their plate in record time and stood to place them in the sink.

"I'm still pretty tired guys, I think I'm going to go take a shower and go to bed if that's okay?" Joyce announced, not waiting for an answer before bounding up the stairs.

"Yeah...I um… I need to clean out my book bag or something." Hopper called over his shoulder, practically running up the steps after Joyce. Greg and Mary were able to contain their laughter long enough for the kids to get up the stairs before they broke out laughing, both of them gasping for air.

"Well at least we get a quiet evening alone to watch Gunsmoke."

The sound of running water filled the upstairs hallway. Hopper knew Joyce felt just as awkward as he did, if not more. They had both expected some joking from his parents, but nothing like that. After fiddling around in his room for a few minutes, he decided to go brush his teeth. Knocking gently on the bathroom door he let himself in. Steam had already fogged the mirror. How Joyce could stand the water being that hot was a mystery to him.

"I'm going to brush my teeth real quick Joy, then ill be out of here." He said toward the curtain and walked over to the sink.

"You're fine Hop I'll be here for a few more minutes at least."

Hopper reached for his toothbrush only to find it missing. Looking around the small sink, it was nowhere to be found.

"Hey Joy, have you seen my toothbrush?" He questioned, double checking the counter behind him.

"You mean this one?" She replied, peeking out from behind the shower curtain, his red toothbrush in her hand.

"What in the hell are you doing with it?" He reached for her hand, only for her to pull it back into the shower.

"If you want it you're going to have to come get it Hop." She teased before closing the curtain and disappearing back into the shower. Sighing, Hopper slid his shirt up and over his head. Walking over to the curtain he cleared his throat.

"I just want to brush my teeth."

"And you can, as soon as you have your toothbrush." She giggled.

Knowing he was going to regret this, Hopper reached his hand just behind the curtain and motioned for her to hand it over.

"Come on Joyce, give it." He complained.

"Just reach a little further Hop and you can have it." She called. Reaching further, his hand came in contact with her warm skin. "Holy shit your hands are cold! Why don't you come warm them up?"

He feels the stream of the shower flow onto him more, soaking him up to his forearm. Pulling his hand back in frustration when she still refused to comply, Hopper went to the sink, grabbed the mouth wash and did a quick rinse before going to his bedroom. Sliding off his sweatpants, he let them fall to the floor and pulled on a pair of boxers, then climbed into bed. He heard the water in the shower turn off and allowed himself a few moments of calm before the storm he knew was brewing.

"Goodnight Mary, Goodnight Greg." Joyce called, then stepped into Hopper's room and quietly closed the door. Hopper watched as she walked to the far side of the room in nothing but a blue and white striped towel. She stopped at the dresser and opened the top drawer, pulling out a pair of panties. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes met with his and he huffed, rolling on his other side to allow her some privacy. He heard the sound of her footsteps going to turn off the light before she joined him under the covers. Her cold hand wrapped around his torso as she snuggled into his back.

"Are you going to tell me what I did to make you so angry?" She whispered into his shoulders. He's quiet for a second, allowing the annoyance that had been grating on him to ease slightly. Rolling over, Hopper faced her and adjusted the blanket as he settled back into the mattress.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He questions, pulling away from her hand as it attempted to touch his face, not missing the hurt in her eyes. Hopper rolled to lay on his back, not sure if he could do this.

"Why didn't I tell you what Hop? I'm so lost right now."

"Why didn't you tell me that Travis tried to rape you that night?" He spits out the words venomously. Just the thought of that happening was making his blood boil. "I thought you trusted me with everything Joyce. For fucks sake, you told me when he was beating you, but now all of a sudden you can't tell me this? I thought you trusted me more than that." His voice rose a few octaves below yelling.

When his question is met with silence, Hopper finally breaks and looks over at her and his anger immediately fades when he sees tears rimming her eyes.

"Joyce I'm not mad at you, I'm just upset that you didn't trust me enough to tell me." He huffed, reaching out to wipe a tear away with his thumb. He quickly pulls back when he sees her flinch.

"I'm not going to hit you..." He says moving his hand to her hip.

"I know Hop...it's just a reflex. I'm sorry." She whispers before moving against his chest and placing her head on his sternum.

"I didn't tell you because I was afraid." She admits, not caring that her tears were falling now.

"Joy why would you be afraid to tell me anything?"

"I was afraid that you wouldn't want me anymore if you knew that another guy had tried to touch me. I thought you would think that I was damaged goods or something. I would be devastated if you didn't want me because of something he did." She lets out in a rush.

Hopper instantly feels guilty for letting his anger get the better of him and pulls her close, rubbing circle's into the small of her back.

"Nothing in this world is ever going to make me stop loving you. You're mine Joy, and that's never going to change." He kisses the top of her head, hoping she knows his telling the truth.

"I'm afraid that you're going to come to your senses one day and see me the way everyone else does."

"I see you just fine honey. You're kind, sweet, beautiful, and the strongest woman I know. Why on earth would I want to change how I see you, when all I see are remarkable things?"

He feels her smile against him and her fingers start running through the hair on his chest. The sensation is making his skin erupt in goosebumps.

"Joy come on, you know what that does to me." He quietly moans.

"That's why I'm doing it." She giggles, placing a kiss on his collar bone. She sits up and pushes both of his shoulders into the mattress. Before he grasps what's going on, she's on top of him straddling his thighs.

"What are you doing? My parents are right down the hall..."

"What I've been trying to do all evening but you've been ignoring me." Leaning forward, Joyce gently pulls on his hair and forces his head back to expose his neck, a favorite spot of hers. She kisses his pulse point, making him moan.

Hopper moves his hands to her hips and digs his fingers into the soft fabric of her night shirt, already feeling his cock hardening. With nothing but two thin layers of cotton between him and her, it's no wonder all the blood in his body is running south. Joyce shifts on top of him and grinds against his erection, trying to satisfy her own selfish needs. When he moves his hand from her hip and reaches for the hem of her shirt, her hands come down on top of his, stopping him. Her body has stopped moving and she's become tense.

"Why have you been avoiding me all evening?" Joyce questions as she narrowed her eyes down at him. She didn't miss when he let out an aggravated sigh.

"I didn't know if you really wanted to do stuff with me or if it was just some side effect of the attempted rape. Shit Joy, I've never dealt with anything like this before and I don't want to do anything that's going to jeopardize us."

"So instead of just talking with me, you ignore me all night and make me feel like shit?"

"I wasn't trying to ignore you Joyce. I just hadn't had a chance to talk with you about the situation. Linda brought it up along with a migraine, so I haven't had an opportunity to talk to you."

"I guess you're right." Joyce mumbles and looks at the clock, Hopper notices her eyes widen. "Fuck it's already after one, we're going to feel like crap tomorrow." She states. Climbing off of him to curl up on her side, leaving Hopper in a state of confusion.

"Umm Joy? You going to finish what you stated here?" Pointing downtown at his erection, he watches as Joyce rolls over, places a kiss on his cheek and turns the bedside lamp off.

"You'll be okay in a few minutes. Just think of goats, or old ladies or something." With that, Joyce places her arm under her pillow and attempts to fall asleep.

Hopper's alarm clock began to chime at six forty five sharp. He slapped at his bedside table, hoping he hit the snooze button. Failing, he sat up and turned it off completely and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, his gaze falling on Joyce's sleeping form. How the hell she slept through that loud ass alarm he would never know. Reaching over, he gave her a gentle shake.

"Joyce come on, today's the day you rejoin society." He called, trying his best to not scare her.

"Ugh, I don't wanna." Her muffled voice called back.

"Well you don't have a choice. Come on, you don't want to be late on your first day back." Hopper stood and stretched, before he made his way to his closet. Rifling through his various shirts, he finally narrowed his choice down to two.

"What color flannel should I wear today Joyce? Red, or Orange?"

Hopper turned to find Joyce finally sitting up in bed, her hair looked like a bird had slept in it and he couldn't help but laugh, not caring that she was giving him the stink eye.

"The orange one looks better on you , but that's just what I think." She replied, raising her arms above her head to stretch. Hopper did his best to ignore how her shirt rode up and revealed the soft skin of her stomach. Turning back to his closet, he hung up the red flannel and pulled the orange one over his shoulders.

"I'll meet you downstairs." He calls over his shoulder to her as she climbs out of bed.

"Okay, I'll be down in a few minutes." Joyce stands, her night shirt barely covering her ass. Hopper shook his head and walked out the door. The last thing he needed was to get a hard on before going to the kitchen with his mom. Walking down the steps, he found Mary in her usual spot at the table. The December edition of the Hawkins Monthly in her hands.

"Morning mom." Hopper said as he sat down across from her, piling a plate full of bacon and pancakes. She really did spoil them.

"Morning honey, did you sleep okay last night?" Mary questioned, not looking up from her magazine.

"Yeah, I was pretty tired even though I slept most of the afternoon." He comments, pouring syrup on his plate. Joyce's footsteps can be heard from the staircase before she finally came into the kitchen.

"Good Morning Mary." Joyce greets, pulling up a seat next to Hopper as she reached for the orange juice.

"Good Morning, sleep well?"

"Yes ma'am. It feels like all I've done the past few days is sleep." Taking a bite of her pancakes, Joyce looked over to Hopper.

"Yeah, having a migraine will do that to you. So will being under stress. You really get sleep deprived when you have a kid. You'd do anything in the world to get them to go to sleep, then you worry when they're sleeping that they'll stop breathing, so you don't sleep at all." Mary explains..

"You don't have to worry about that happening mom, just because we're dating doesn't mean we're going to do anything else. I don't even know if I want to have kids, matter less if Joyce wants them or not." Hopper replies, finishing his breakfast. Looking down at his watch, he stood and placed his plate in the sink.

"You about finished Joyce? We need to get going so were not late."

"Yeah, I'm done." Putting the last piece of bacon in her mouth, Joyce stands and puts her dishes in the sink as well. Walking into the hallway, Joyce grabbed her book bag for the first time in over a month.

"Bye mom, see you this afternoon." Hopper called as he slid his coat on. Walking to his truck, he opened the passenger door for Joyce, allowing her to climb up into the cab where she reached over and unlocked his door. Putting his book bag in the floorboard beside Joyce's feet, Hopper cranked the truck.

"I'll have the heat going in a second."

Joyce scoots into the middle of the bench and gets as close to him as she can.

"It's not so bad when I'm close to you."

"Well you can be as close as you want. You ready for today?"

"I guess I kind of have to be. It's not like I can avoid going to school when I have to graduate." She mumbles.

Hopper finally turns the heat on once the truck has warmed up. "So are we going to continue to act like we don't like each other, or are we allowed to hold hands in the hallway?" He questions, flicking on his turn signal.

"I don't know Hop, I don't want any drama my first day back. Everyone already thinks I was committed for beating up Chrissy."

"Well if they think you're crazy, hopefully they won't mess with you. Besides, It's December. We graduate in May, just a few more months and you don't have to worry about seeing any of these assholes again."

Pulling into the student parking lot at school, Hopper felt Joyce tense.

"It's okay Joy, I'm right here. We only have one week before we're out for Christmas break. We got this." He says, placing a hand on her knee. "If you need to go home at any time today just let me know okay?"

"Okay...It's going to be weird to be back at school. I hope you're right about people leaving me alone."

Hopper opened his door and slid out of the truck with ease. Holding out his hand, he helped Joyce do the same and when she didn't release her hand from his, he felt his heart soar. Slinging her bag over his shoulder, Hopper locked his truck door, and hand in hand they walked across the parking lot and into the school.

Joyce felt like everyone's eyes were on the two of them. Maybe it was just her imagination running away with her, but she could swear the whispers were already starting. She shouldn't care, and she knew this. Hopper was a grown man and could make his own decisions and apparently she was one of them that he refused to change. Making it to her locker, she was surprised not to find slurs covering the green surface.

"Wow, no one destroyed my locker while I was away. Are you sure we're at the right school?" She laughed, putting her combination into her lock and pulling the door open. When the cheap metal opened, countless pieces of folder paper fell to the floor. Reaching down, Joyce noticed Hopper's familiar hand writing on the majority of them.

"What's all this Hop?"

Hopper's hand came into her vision, helping her pick up the small pieces of paper.

"I may or may not have gotten bored on several occasions and decided to write you a note...or twenty..."

Joyce felt heat flood her cheeks and she looked away before he could see her blush. She put all of the notes into her book bag, intending to read them at lunch. Hopper intertwined his fingers with hers once more and although he wouldn't admit it, he was worried about her being back at school. He didn't want her coming from the safety of the farm and his family, just to be tossed back to the wolves of Hawkins High.

"Got everything you need for your first few classes?" He questions as she closed her locker.

"Yeah I believe so, I can't wait to hand all this work in to get it out of my bag."

Hopper walked Joyce to her first class of the day and as he stopped outside the classroom door, he pulled her close and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Have a good day honey, I'll see you at lunch okay? Maybe we can go share a smoke before biology?" He chuckled, feeling her wrap her arms around his waist. She laid her head on his sternum, looking up into his eyes.

"I'm going to miss you." She whispered, hoping no one was around to hear her little confession.

"I'm going to miss you too Joy." He smiled, leaning down to place his lips on hers. The five minute bell rang suddenly, making Hopper groan.

"Go on to class, I'll see you soon." Joyce laughed, giving Hopper one last kiss. She turned and walked into the classroom, not even caring that the rest of her peers were watching her.

The cafeteria was humming with the voices of hungry teenagers, all of whom were all excited with the upcoming Christmas break. Joyce sat at her usual table, happy that none of her classmates had decided to claim it as theirs during her absence. Pulling out a paper bag from her book bag, Joyce opened her peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a Ziploc full of chips. She felt him before she saw him. That familiar feeling of safety enveloped her. Looking up, she saw Hopper walking toward her, his own paper bag in his hand. Pulling up a chair beside her, he placed his hand on her thigh.

"Hey good looking, whatcha got cookin?" He joked as Joyce held up her sandwich.

"Here we have the finest blend of a fresh peanut spread, alongside of preserved grapes." She giggled, taking a bite of it.

"How's your day been? No one has messed with you have they?" He questions, unpacking his own lunch.

"Surprisingly no, it's like I don't exist and it's amazing. If it had been like this the past six years I probably wouldn't have lost my shit and beat up Chrissy." She laughed, loving this new found feeling of freedom that came with being with Hopper.

The two of them talked and joked as they finished their lunches. Neither one of them giving a damn that several eyes were on them at all times. The news that the most popular guy in school was dating the least popular girl was spreading like wildfire.

"You about ready to go for a smoke?" Hopper asked, crumpling up his and Joyce's paper bag to throw away.

"Absolutely. I always crave one after I eat I and I have no idea why." Helping Joyce stand from their table, Hopper laced his fingers with hers and stepped out into the courtyard. The pair easily ducking out the small hole in the fence as they made their way to the bleachers.

"Did your mom seem to be acting weird to you this morning?" Joyce suddenly asked as she took a drag off of her cigarette.

Hopper exhaled smoke from his lungs, giving her a look. "Yeah a little. I think her and dad just don't know how to act around us now that we are officially dating. I'm honestly surprised they haven't told you to sleep on the couch since we told them."

"Yeah, I figured they were going to tell me that too. That or make me go back to the tree house. Hopefully if that happens though, Greg will trust me with the kerosene heater." Joyce rubbed her hands down her arms for emphasis on the cold. Even though they both had on their winter coats, it was still only fifteen degrees outside.

"Joy? Can I ask you something?" Hopper questioned as he took yet another drag off of his cigarette.

"What's up?"

"My mom brought up grand babies last night...and this morning she was talking about how having kids makes you lose sleep. Out of all the years I've known you, you've never mentioned if you wanted to have kids or not...I'm just curious how you feel about it?" He stated in a rush, ignoring the blush he could feel creeping up his neck.

"I mean, I've always wanted to have a family Hop. I just never thought it was in the cards for me ya know? I always thought I would never get away from Travis, and I wouldn't want any child to be around him. But yeah, I think I would like to have at least one kid. Maybe four." She teased, trying not to laugh when Hopper's eyes widened at the number she had stated. Taking one last hit from her cigarette, Joyce dropped the butt and crushed it out with the heel of her boot.

"We don't need to be late to Biology."

Walking hand in hand into their last class of the day made Joyce's anxiety spike. She knew Chrissy would have something smart to say about her and Hopper dating and she honestly didn't know if she had the energy to deal with her shit right now.

"Welcome back Miss Horowitz!" Her professor greeted as they walked in the door.

"Thanks Professors, it feels good to be back. Here's the work from the past month." Joyce handed her papers to her teacher and made a move toward her seat only to have Hopper's hand tighten in hers as he stayed put.

"Hey professor, I was wondering if I could move my seat? It seems that my current lab partner and I have come to a disagreement and I would prefer to keep things between us as professional as possible." Hopper asked loud enough for the students who were already seated to hear, including Chrissy.

"Absolutely Mr. Hopper, I was going to suggest this anyway, it seems I need to keep a closer eye on Miss. Carpenter. Joyce, if you don't mind, would you be okay with switching seats?" The teacher asked, moving to take her seat behind the desk.

"Wait just a second here, that's not fair!" Chrissy's high pitched voice called out from her seat at the back of the class.

"Why is that Miss Carpenter?" Their professor questioned, shuffling papers into a neat pile in front of her.

"I've been at this same seat all year, I shouldn't have to move just because Jim decided to get a new girlfriend." Chrissy whined, folding her arms across her chest.

"I'm not asking you to change seats because you and Mr. Hopper are no longer an item Miss Carpenter. I am telling you to move seats because it's close to the end of December and you still have a D in my class while both Mr. Hopper and Miss Horowitz both have had an A. If you want to graduate, I suggest you gather your belongings and move to the front of the class."

Everyone in the room was silent with the exception of Hoppers deep laugh. Students watched as Chrissy gathered her notebook and book bag and moved to Joyce's old seat, first row, dead center on the professor's desk. Moving to her new seat, Joyce bypassed her classmates, feeling as if she had won another fight. Hopper sat down in his original chair and began pulling stuff out of his book bag. Glancing up, he was met with several pairs of eyes.

"There a problem?" He asked loudly, Making everyone turn around in their seats. Joyce moved her hand to rest on Hoppers thigh once she was seated and gave him a gentle squeeze before settling down and focusing on their teacher's lecture.


	11. Chapter 11

Being able to sit with Joyce in class was something Hopper hadn't had the privilege of doing since middle school, and to say he was excited, was putting it lightly. The first three days were like Christmas morning. They were able to talk to each other, hold hands under the table, slide each other silly little notes, and of course get yelled at by the teacher to be quiet. But Joyce was happy, so he didn't care if they got in trouble. Being away from Chrissy and placed at the back of the class away from everyone else who wanted to bother Joyce, was more than he could have asked for.

That was until Thursday. Everything had been going great, then her hand lingered on his knee too long and she gave him the sweetest damn smile he'd ever seen. She'd been going over the worksheet in front of them and made a joke, a joke that he completely missed when he was drawn to the light in her eyes and her lip when it found its way between her teeth. Shit.

"Are you even listening to me?" Joyce whispered, squeezing his leg.

Clearing his throat, Hopper reached down to place his hand over hers.

"Kind of?" He replied with a chuckle and blushed.

"Wait...are you blushing?" Joyce teased, raising her brow.

Setting his face back to normal, he bit the inside of his cheek and shifted to ease the discomfort in his now tight jeans. What the hell was wrong with him? Popping a random boner in class was something he could see doing while he was going through puberty, but now? When he was basically an adult and all Joyce had done was give him a look and barely touched him? He was just going to blame all the teasing he'd suffered the past few days with her randomly grabbing him with no release afterwards.

With a sigh, he dropped his pen and rubbed a hand over his face, trying anything and everything he could think of to will his hard on to go away.

"Hop?" Lost in thought, Joyce's voice startled him and he sat up a little straighter.

Still choosing to avoid eye contact, he stared down at the paper in front of them. "Hmm?" Was all offered.

"What's wrong?" She asked, worried.

When she squeezed his leg again, he finally risked a glance in her direction and swallowed.

Knowing he had to give her some kind of an explanation, he looked around to make sure the rest of the students were busy with their assignments and that the teacher still had her nose buried in a book. He reached down again to cover her hand and removed it from his leg to place over the bulge in his jeans.

Joyce's eyes went wide when she felt how hard he was and looked up at him shocked. She didn't have the slightest idea how the body of an eighteen year old male worked when it came to this, but she also didn't think things like this happened that often.

"Why?" She whispered curiously, turning her body just enough to block the view of anyone who might choose then to turn around in their direction.

Hopper blushed again almost instantly and jumped when she pressed her hand harder against him. Trying to hide his gasp behind a cough, he dropped his head to the table on top of his arm and took in a deep breath.

"This...this right here is why." He groaned and started shaking when she continued to move her hand. "Stop..." He begged, already to the point where the slightest touch was becoming too much. If she kept teasing him, there was no way he'd be able to stand, let alone walk out of class with any dignity still intact. He sure as hell wasn't about to allow her to make him cum in his pants. Especially not in the middle of class. He was a senior in high school for christ's sake.

Grinning, Joyce finally stopped torturing him and went back to filling out their paper. Class would be over in fifteen minutes and they had only completed three of the questions. Thankfully she already knew most of the material and took it upon herself to finish while Hopper dealt with his not so little problem.

When the bell rang, Joyce stood to gather her things and gave Hopper a look to make sure he was ready. He got to his feet after a second and she smiled, taking his hand to lace their fingers together as she dropped their assignment onto the teacher's desk and pulled him to her locker.

"So... you going to tell me what caused that little incident back there?" Joyce laughed as she stuffed all of their belongings into her locker. Hopper swallowed and looked up and down the hallway in case someone was listening.

"You do this thing… where you bite your lip and it's so incredibly sexy. I honestly have no idea why, but it's such a turn on. Not to mention I haven't got off in over a week and you've been teasing the shit out of me." He admits, watching as she not so subtly bent over to tie her shoe and allowed her ass to skim the front of his jeans. Thoughts of grabbing her hips and pulling her to him suddenly filled his head.

"Joy come on, you're killing me." Hopper whispered, taking a step back from her as she turned to face him. She was intentionally biting her bottom lip and he groaned, reaching for her hand.

"You're the goddamn devil you know that?"

Joyce was barely able to keep up with Hopper's long stride as they walked toward the student parking lot. At one point, she thought he was going to pick her up and throw her over his shoulder in his impatience at her tiny footsteps. He reached the truck first, walking to the passenger side.

"Whoa, hold up," Hopper called as Joyce reached for the handle on the passenger door, not quite getting it open before he grabbed her wrist. Quickly turning her to face him, Hopper cupped her cheeks and kissed her hard. A moan escaped her parted lips and Hopper took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth, messaging his against hers in long, slow strokes until her knees started to buckle.

Moving a hand to grip her side, Hopper made sure to press his hips against her, wanting her to feel exactly what her touch did to him. Wanting her to know exactly how worked up he had gotten over the last few days.

"Hop," Joyce whined, pulling away from his lips breathless as she looked up at him with hooded eyes.

Hopper grinned, nipping her lip. "Yes?" Taking a quick look around to make sure no one was watching them, Hopper slowly slid his hand from her side, gliding his fingertips over her stomach and down between her legs where he pressed against her center over her jeans hard enough to make her shudder.

"Mmm, you like that?" He whispered, kissing down her neck when he felt her thighs squeeze against his hand. He curled his fingers against her and pressed hard one more time before abruptly pulling away and placing his hand behind her head on top of his truck.

Joyce just stared at him stunned, trying to clear her lust filled mind to figure out what the hell just happened.

"Let's go home," Hopper said with a smirk, reaching around her to open the door.

Swallowing, Joyce carefully pulled herself into the cab once her legs started working properly and watched Hopper slide in next to her. She honestly had no clue what to say. If this was even the slightest hint to what she'd been putting him through, she kinda felt bad.

Before Hopper put the keys in the ignition, he turned to face her. "You alright?" As much as he got a thrill out of teasing her, he also wanted to make sure he hadn't crossed a line. The fact she hadn't said anything made him a little uneasy.

"I am so sorry." She finally said after a minute, resting her hands in her lap.

Hopper reached over to place a finger under her chin and smiled when he met her eyes. "Why are you apologizing?"

Joyce turned her head slightly to kiss his palm. "Because that's torture...and I've been teasing you for days."

With a chuckle, Hopper kissed her forehead and straightened in his seat to turn the ignition over. "You can make it up to me later." He said with a wink and pulled out of the parking lot.

When they arrived back at the farm, Hopper parked his tuck in his usual spot and noticed his mother's car was gone.

"Guess we have the place to ourselves." He informed Joyce, opening his door.

Greg worked late at the station on Thursdays and wouldn't be home until sometime after dinner, and even if Mary was only gone for another twenty minutes, he'd gladly take advantage of any second he got to be alone with her.

Planning to put off chores for as long as possible, Hopper unlocked the front door and instantly went into the kitchen to undoubtedly have a drink of milk straight from the carton.

Joyce followed behind him and dropped her book bag onto the kitchen table, shaking her head when she found him wiping his mouth and shoving the milk back into the fridge.

"Mom won't be home for a few more hours." He announced, pointing to the note Mary had left on the counter.

"Should we knock out our chores first or get started on homework?" Joyce asked.

Hopper raised his brow. "Um, neither?" Pushing himself away from the counter, he joined her beside the table.

Joyce smiled as soon as she saw the look on his face. "Hopper…" She threatened, taking a step back to avoid the tickle she knew was coming.

"What?" He said with a grin, trying to act innocent.

"Don't you dare." Joyce pointed at him, continuing to create a distance between them.

A brief twitch in his hand was all it took for Joyce to yelp and take off running up the stairs.

"Hey!" Hopper called, almost tripping over a rug on his way after her.

Catching her just outside of his bedroom, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind and blew a raspberry in the crook of her neck.

Joyce half halfheartedly struggled to get away and started giggling when he continued his assault across her collarbone and to the other side of her neck.

Somewhere in the middle of his lips skimming her throat and his hands tickling her anywhere he could reach, they ended up in his room and on the bed with Hopper pulling her shirt up enough to nip the skin at her side.

"Hop!" Joyce laughed, jerking her side away from his mouth when she couldn't breathe. "Ok, ok! I give!" She managed to choke out, pushing against his head when he blew on her stomach.

Finally deciding she'd had enough, Hopper lifted his head and placed his chin just below her navel. "You're so damn cute when you laugh." Just being able to see her happy and knowing he was the one making her that way, caused his chest ache in a good way.

Reaching up to thread his fingers with hers, he pulled her hand down to press his lips to her knuckles.

"You know you can make me laugh without trying to kill me right?" She joked, untangling their fingers just enough to poke his jaw.

Hopper chuckled and playfully nipped at her finger. "You love it."

"Wrong." Joyce corrected. "I love you. I don't love being tickled to death."

Playfully rolling his eyes, Hopper scooted up her chest and kissed her slowly. His hand pushed her hair behind her ear and made its way down across her collarbone, over her shoulder and eventually down the length of her body to rest at her hip as he settled between her legs, never breaking the kiss.

Lazily lifting her shirt, he caressed the newly exposed skin before dipping his thumb under the material of her jeans to brush over her pointy hip bone. Hopper's hips unconsciously flexed against her when she gasped, and he kissed at the crook of her neck to hide his groan.

Lifting his head to see her face, he smiled and reached for the button on her jeans, popping them open in one swift movement. When he felt her tense, he saw her eyes searching his and stilled his hand.

"All you have to do is tell me to stop." He offered, trying to keep his voice level to not give away how nervous he was suddenly feeling.

The room stayed silent other than their breathing and Hopper took that as his queue to continue, but before they went any further, he stood and shut his bedroom door, locking it for good measure. He licked his lips as he took in the sight in front of him, Joyce laid out with an arm above her head, the other resting on her chest. Her shirt now barely covering the top of her stomach. A sight he had dreamed about on more than one occasion.

Making sure she was still watching him, he reached down to readjust himself in his pants as he walked back over to her, not missing her eyes dropping to his crotch and her lip finding its way between her lips.

"W...what...are we about to have sex?" Joyce finally voiced and propped herself up on an elbow. Finding herself confused as to what was happening.

Hopper leaned forward and placed his knee on the bed beside her. "That wasn't my intention…" He admitted, noticing the slight panic in her features. "And from the look you're giving me, it wouldn't have happened even if I wanted to." He teased, kissing her forehead. "What is it you said at the tree house? Oh yeah, I'm just messing around."

When he saw her instantly relax, he couldn't help but chuckle. "If that's alright with you?"

Joyce gave him a nod and swallowed, trying to calm her nerves.

"I'm serious." Hopper started, shifting them around so she was further up the bed with him laying at her side. "You tell me if anything makes you feel uncomfortable." After their talk about the attempted rape and her possibly being nervous in general to the entire situation, he wanted to take extra precautions to not push things too far too fast.

Without speaking, Joyce grabbed his cheeks and pulled him in for a kiss, distracting herself as he worked his way back down her body to continue where he'd left off. Instead of going for her zipper like she expected, he pressed his fingers over her jeans and between her legs, gently rubbing back and forth a few times, testing to see her reaction each time he added more pressure. Unable to hold back a moan, Joyce sucked in a deep breath and thrust her hips against his hand, only to have him suddenly stop, much like he had back in the school parking lot.

Hopper continued to explore her mouth, ignoring her pout and finally pulled her zipper down. His fingers lingering just above her panties to tease the skin there, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

The sound that left Joyce's mouth when his fingers slipped under the soft cotton of her underwear and down between her slick folds, almost killed him.

"Jesus...you're so wet." He whispered, nipping below her ear as his middle finger circled her clit, causing another soft cry to pass her lips.

Hopper had zero experience in this department, only going by what he'd seen or heard from others, and the fact that she hadn't stopped him yet was enough to give him a slight confidence boost. Hell, the fact she was practically soaked through her clothes had him feeling like he'd just won the lottery.

Sitting up a little more to see her face, Hopper continued to lightly stroke between her folds and back around her clit with two fingers until everything became a slippery mess. Her eyes were rolled back and the hand on her chest was now fisted into her shirt, her breathing coming in quick pants. When she started a slow rhythm with her hips in time with his hand, Hopper chose then to slip his middle finger inside her and she instantly clamped around him, causing them both to moan.

"Still ok?" Hopper asked, moving his finger in and out of her slowly as he continued to keep pressure on her clit with his palm. When she wrapped her hand around his wrist and made him press against her harder, he knew that was her answer. He also knew he was doomed in holding back his own arousal and used his free hand to quickly get his pants open.

Joyce opened her eyes at the sound of his belt buckle coming undone and lost all coherent thought when she watched him start stroking himself. Before she knew what was happening a heat washed over her body and she was coming hard against his hand, biting her lip to keep from screaming as the most intense feeling she'd ever felt flooded her senses.

"Shit Joyce…" Hopper groaned as he watched a burst of pleasure invade her features. That mixed with her clenching around him was enough to send him over the edge. Quickly finding her lips, he kissed her desperately as he spilled over his hand and onto her stomach, surely hitting the bed as well.

After a minute, Joyce lifted her head to stare at the mess he'd created. "Hop...ew." She joked lazily with a giggle, looking at the lower half of her clothing to make sure nothing landed on it.

"Sorry." He laughed and pulled his shirt over his head to start cleaning up the mess, knowing he'd have to do laundry before his mother got home. "Why are you shaking?" He asked when he started wiping off her stomach.

Joyce shook head and smiled, still riding a slight high from her orgasm. "I don't know, but I'm alright."

Tossing his now dirty shirt toward the door, he tucked himself back into his boxers, not bothering to close his jeans as he settled against her side.

"You're not cold are you?" Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her closer, letting her head drop against his shoulder.

With a sigh, she tried to will her body to settle down and curled into him. "I'm fine Hop. I just feel good is all."

"So this is normal?" He asked, a little concerned when he could still feel her trembling.

Joyce shrugged and buried her face in his neck. "How would I know? This is the first time I've ever done this."

Hopper sat up slightly and stared down at her, not saying anything for several seconds. "Wait...I mean, I know this is the first time you've ever done anything with someone else, but with just yourself...You've never?…" He motioned with his hand toward her jeans.

When she shook her head, Hopper's jaw dropped in disbelief. If he felt an ego boost before at being able to get her off his first time trying, his pride was out the roof with the newfound knowledge of giving her the first orgasm she'd ever had.

He supposed it made sense when he thought about it. Living with Travis and dealing with the nightmare of his existence, didn't give her a lot of free time to worry about her own pleasures when she was struggling to keep everyone else around her happy. Choosing to not dig further, he reluctantly pushed himself to sit.

"Come on, I need to wash the comforter and my shirt before-"

"Jim, you home?" Both teens froze at Greg's voice coming down the hallway, neither of them hearing him enter the house.

Joyce instantly panicked and quickly stood to button her jeans, Hopper doing the same as he went to his closet to grab a new shirt. He didn't get very far before the knob on his door jiggled.

"Jim!" Greg yelled. "Open this door, right now."

"Fuck." Hopper mouthed, turning on his heel to do as asked, deciding to forget the shirt to not piss his father off more by taking even longer.

When Jim opened the door, the first thing Greg's eyes landed on was Joyce standing beside the bed with her arms wrapped around herself, looking more guilty than he'd ever seen before. Then of course his son in front of him half-dressed. Both of them sported the same messy hair and swollen lips. A clear sign they were doing something they probably shouldn't have been doing.

"Why was the door locked?" Greg asked, placing a hand on his hip as he leaned against the wooden frame.

Jim cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "Um…"

Greg sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, not wanting to deal with this after the day he'd had. "You know better son, and now that you two are dating, you're lucky your mother and I still allow you two to share a bed in our house." Greg met Jim's eyes then, making sure he understood. "Get dressed and go do your damn chores." Without another word Greg pushed away from the door frame and headed toward his bedroom.

Joyce sat back down on the edge of the bed and rubbed her hands over her face, feeling somewhat mortified. "Doesn't he usually work late on Thursdays?" She whispered.

"Yeah…" Hopper replied as he went to get dressed, trying to put a finger on his father's mood. It wasn't like him to snap like that, especially if he had the opportunity to embarrass him instead. The fact he chose not to after catching them in a somewhat compromising situation had him a little uneasy.

The sun had just started setting when Mary finally returned to the farm. Joyce and Hopper were sitting on the porch steps removing their boots, having just finished their chores.

"Need any help mom?" Hopper called when Mary opened the car door.

"No honey I got it, go on inside and get cleaned up for dinner."

Eyeing the take out bags, Jim held the door open for her and took Joyce's hand in his, pulling her upstairs. They hadn't really said much to each other as they took care of the horses, both of them trying to make sure everything would be finished on time since they had gotten such a late start. The tension left by Greg was still there and they both felt it.

Joyce finally broke the silence as she pulled on a pair of too-large sweatpants. "Do you think your dad will say anything to your mom about what happened earlier?"

"Probably…" Hopper sighed. "They don't usually keep things from each other."

"Will she be mad?" Joyce shoved her hands in her pockets and stared at the floor.

"Hey." Reaching out to pull her into his arms, Hopper kissed the top of her head, sensing the change in her mood. "It'll be alright. Even if she is mad, you know how she is. She'll probably just give us a lecture and after we have dinner things will go back to normal."

"I can't afford to have your parents angry with me, Hop...If I mess this up I have nowhere else to go." She sighed, dropping her head against his chest. "And it would absolutely kill me to lose them...or you."

"Joyce, look at me." He demanded, carefully grabbing her chin. "You're not going to lose anyone. My parents are nothing like Travis, or Linda, and you know that. They love you, just as much as they love me, hell they may even love you a little more than me." He teased. "Now come on, let's get this over with."

Knowing he was right, Joyce reluctantly pulled out of his embrace and followed him downstairs into the kitchen. Mary was sitting alone reading over the paper, the table set for three.

Hopper looked around confused before he took his usual seat. "Where's dad?" He asked, grabbing a fork.

Mary folded the paper and set it aside, taking a sip of her coffee. "He's not feeling well, so it's just us tonight."

"Oh." He said, scooping some food out of a container and onto his plate. "Is he sick?"

Choosing to stay quiet, Joyce pushed her food around with a fork, not actually eating as she listened to them talk. She couldn't help feeling like maybe she was part of the reason Greg wouldn't be joining them.

"He just had a bad day at work is all. Not that finding you two this afternoon helped any." Mary scolded, giving them both a look.

The anxiety Joyce had already been feeling started flooding through her and she felt the familiar sensation of tears pricking her eyes. Taking in a deep breath, she dropped her fork and placed her hands in her lap, trying to make herself invisible as she got her emotions under control.

Ignoring the part about him and Joyce, Hopper continued to press his mother. "What happened at work?"

"Something about Joyce's case came up. It's nothing either of you kids need to worry about." She stated. "I promise you everything will be fine, your father just needs to rest."

Slowly lifting her eyes, Joyce looked between Hopper and Mary, the tears she'd been holding back finding their way down her cheeks against her will. "I'm sorry…" She whispered.

Focused on his mother, Hopper turned his head at the sound of Joyce's voice and stood instantly, almost knocking his chair over when he saw the look on her face. He knew she was already uneasy, but never expected her to react this way.

"Nothing about this is your fault, honey." Mary soothed, setting her mug down.

Joyce shook her head and got to her feet, taking a step back from the table. "Every bit of this is my fault…" She said, her voice so low Hopper almost didn't hear her. "I am so sorry." Just knowing she'd upset Greg with her problems, enough to make him avoid having dinner with his family made her want to throw up. All because of the baggage Travis had loaded her down with over the years, baggage that was now being unloaded onto the Hoppers. "I'll go...i'll stay at the tree house...I'll…" Joyce stopped talking when she felt her chest tighten and sucked in a deep breath. She attempted to wipe her eyes, which proved pointless when more tears continued to fall.

Quickly picking up on her labored breathing, Hopper took a step forward and placed his hand on her shoulder, ignoring the way her body reeled away under his touch. "You have to calm down, Joy." He pleaded, knowing she was close to having a panic attack. "You're just overthinking. You know we love you." When she got that look in her eyes and started backing herself against the wall, Hopper acted fast and moved her into the living room to sit down.

He knelt in front of her and placed his hands on her knees. "Look at me Joyce." Surprisingly she met his eyes without hesitation. "Try to relax, please." He rubbed up and down her legs, hoping the comforting touch would help soothe her anxiety.

Mary stood by the entryway and watched for a moment to see if her son could get Joyce calm before she needed to step in, not wanting to make the situation worse for her by hovering. She knew the poor girl would be embarrassed enough knowing she'd had a breakdown in the middle of dinner.

"What's going on?" Greg's voice called from behind Mary, startling her slightly. She placed a finger to her lips, signaling for him to be quiet. Before he could respond, Joyce speaking directed their attention back to the living room.

"I'm no good for this family Hop…I've brought nothing but disaster with me." Continuing to watch her breathing, Joyce swallowed, but couldn't stop herself from crying. "I don't like knowing I'm the reason your dad is stressed to the point he's been locked in his room for hours and probably can't stand the sight of me."

"What are you talking about?" Hopper asked, reaching up to cup her cheek. "Everyone in this house loves you. You're the most important person in my life and always will be, and they know that. Nothing would ever make them abandon you."

Joyce reached up to remove his hand and shook her head. "The case...it's not worth it. I'll go somewhere Travis can't find me-"

"Absolutely not." Greg's voice broke through the living room as he slowly approached his kids and took a seat next to Joyce. She tensed under Hopper's hand that was still on her knee and sniffed.

"Joyce darlin', I want you to listen to me. My mood tonight had absolutely nothing to do with you. I promise, you have done nothing wrong. I had a rough day at work. Some things that you don't need to concern yourself with were brought to my attention and honestly it pissed me off, so I came home. Then i found you two and…" Greg sighed, running his hand over his face.

"I just needed a few hours to get rid of a hell of a headache honey. You know as well as I do when you have a headache the last thing you want to do is eat a big meal, which Mary never makes or does take out in small portions." A small laugh escapes from Joyce's lips. Making the mood in the room shift instantly.

"I apologize for being short when I came home this evening. Are we okay?" Greg questions, turning his body to face Joyce and Jim who is still crouching with his hand on her knee.

"We're okay...I'm sorry. I just start to panic and it all goes downhill from there." Joyce confides, not knowing if Greg and Mary understood how her attacks were triggered.

"No need to apologize darlin', like I said, I acted horribly. If anything the chaos of tonight is mostly my fault." Greg looks up at Mary and catches her eye. She stands from the entrance of the living room and comes to stand behind Jim.

"Joyce honey, why don't you help me warm dinner back up real quick, I'm sure Greg is hungry now that his headache is gone. Besides, neither you or Jim really ate anything earlier."

Hopper stood from the floor, his knee giving a slight pop as he did so. Moving to allow Joyce to walk into the kitchen with his mother, he felt a hand lightly touch his arm. Looking down, Greg had reached for him, silently signaling for him to stay behind. When Mary and Joyce were both safely back in the confines of the kitchen, Greg leaned back on the couch, his hands once again going up to massage the bridge of his nose. At this moment, Hopper noticed his father had more grey in his hair and dark circles under his eyes.

"Sit down Jim." Greg states, moving over slightly for his son to sit beside him. The two men sat in silence for a moment, neither of them sure who was going to speak first. Finally, Greg sat up and cleared his throat.

"Jim. What happened this afternoon doesn't need to happen again. It was different before. You and Joyce weren't dating a month ago, so it was fine for you two to share a bed. Your mother and I were both confident that nothing sexual was going on between the two of you. But now… Now you're dating and Jim ...I'll be damned if that girl doesn't get to go to college because she gets pregnant. She has worked too damn hard and come way too close to reaching her dreams for them to be postponed indefinitely because of an unplanned pregnancy. Do you understand? Your bedroom door is to remain unlocked at all times and if you and Joyce are both in there, with the exception of going to sleep, that door is to be opened at least three inches. Your mother and I will drop in from time to time, and no we won't be knocking. Do I make myself clear?"

Hopper nodded but didn't look his dad in the eye. He adjusted his collar, not wanting his father to see the blush that was creeping up his neck. He was a grown man for fucks sake, he shouldn't be blushing at having the talk with his father. Hopper already knew they needed to be safe when the time came for their relationship to go to the next level. The sound of his father laughing made him look up. His dad was actually laughing, something he hadn't heard much in the past few weeks.

"What's so funny?" Hopper asked with a smile, finally making eye contact with his old man.

"I just thought of something. God forbid you knock her up before you're married. But if for some reason you do, I can't even threaten to shoot you for defiling my daughter! Obviously, I can't shoot my own son ya know?" More laughter escapes from Greg who is now attempting to cover his face with his hand. Hopper sits quietly and stares at his dad, not sure if he should laugh or be slightly afraid. He had joked earlier that his parents probably loved Joyce more then they did him and right now he was starting to question that statement.

Greg's laughter finally died away and Jim saw him reach into his front pocket. Holding his hand out toward his son, Greg waited as Jim opened his hand and neatly placed a small gift there before getting to his feet. Glancing down into his hand, Hopper's heart stopped momentarily as he stared at the small foil packet resting in his palm.

"If the moment comes and you are both ready, make sure to use this son. I'm too young to be pawpaw right now, okay? This is the only one you're getting from me, so next time you gotta buy them on your own." Without another word, Greg left the living room and headed toward the kitchen, the delicious smell of dinner making his stomach growl.

Hopper took a second to collect himself as he sat on the couch alone, utterly confused. His dad had just told him not to have sex, but gave him a condom? Did that mean they had his blessing? Or was it just an, in case you can't control yourself sort of deal? Hopper's stomach growling brought him out of his head and he stood, sliding the condom into the front pocket of his jeans before heading back into the kitchen.

Ignoring the table as he entered, Hopper goes to the sink to wash his hands. The feeling of the condom in his palm had left a weird, dirty feeling for some reason. Finally sitting back down, he began to eat his food, completely lost in thought over his dad's conversation.

"Did you decide what you want to do for the float this year hun? The parade is on Saturday and we haven't even started yet." Mary questions over her fork full of broccoli.

"I think we're just going to ride the horses down the street, maybe have a banner or something to hold between the two lead riders. Then I figured Jim and Joyce could drive the blazer if they didn't want to ride a horse? Maybe throw candy out to the kids." Greg states, wiping his face with a napkin.

"Hop, are you okay?" Joyce asks placing her hand on his knee.

"Hmm? Yeah...I'm fine, just tired is all." Hopper sighed and pushed his plate away from him, suddenly asking to be excused for bed.

"That's fine honey, I know you've had an exhausting day." Mary smiled into her coffee cup, trying not to let the kids see her laugh.

"May I be excused as well?" Joyce questions, not wanting Hopper to be alone just yet.

"Of course." Greg answers for Mary. Standing up, Joyce places her plate in the sink.

"Should I sleep on the couch from here on out?" Joyce asks toward the two adults still at the table. She was willing to take her couch exile as long as it made them happy.

"That won't be necessary Joyce, Jim knows what we expect of him now. I'm sure he will fill you in once you're upstairs." Greg states, reaching out to hold Mary's hand. Joyce gave her adoptive parents a curious glance before backing away from the table.

"Umm, alright then. I'll just go upstairs. Goodnight guys."

"Goodnight Joyce." They said in unison.

Turning on her heel, Joyce practically runs up the steps toward Hopper's bedroom. When she enters she closes the door, automatically making Jim walk across the room to open it wide enough for someone to see inside.

"What are you doing?" Joyce questions, going to sit on the bed to take her socks off.

"We need to talk." He says coming to sit down beside her.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Dad wanted me to hang back a second when you and mom went to warm up dinner. We have some new rules to abide by. First, the door has to stay open at least three inches if both of us are here, with the exception of us going to sleep. Second, it can't be locked, third, they are both going to be dropping in from time to time and he said they weren't going to be knocking. He got the vibe of what we were doing earlier, and he's worried that you're going to end up pregnant and not be able to go to college." Hopper blurted out, running his hand through his hair.

"Well, that's a lot to take in." Joyce voiced, going to the closet to take off her bra. Hopper, most of the time a gentleman, turned his head to give her what bit of privacy he could.

"He also gave me a condom." He mumbled, hoping Joyce didn't hear him.

"He did what!?" She almost yelled, walking back over to the bed and climbing in on her side.

"Said that if we couldn't fight the urge that I needed to at least use protection, which I was going to do anyway. I am way too young to be a dad Joy. Hell, I can barely keep myself alive, let alone a tiny baby."

"I feel the same way, Hopper. With all this stuff going on with the trial and Travis, I honestly don't know if I would be able to handle being a parent on top of that."

Hopper stood and slid his sweatpants off. He'd be damned if he was going to sleep uncomfortable just because his parents were afraid of him and Joyce messing around. Walking across the cold wooden floor in just a pair of boxers, he turns the bedroom light off and leaves the door open just to make a point that they understood the new rules. Climbing in bed, he pulled Joyce to him. Resting her ass against the front of his boxers.

"We're going to be okay Joy, and I totally understand if you don't want to do anything else." He whispered into the top of her head, loosening his hold when she turned to look at him.

"Are you kidding? What we did…what you did earlier was amazing. I haven't felt that relaxed ever...I don't want to stop doing things, but I think just messing around is as far as we need to go for now."

"Agreed." He laughed as she settled back down into his embrace where he gently lifted her thin nightshirt and rubbed the cool skin of her hip.

"I love you." He whispered, placing a kiss to the crook of her neck.

"I love you too."

Greg and Mary quietly climbed the stairs an hour later, not wanting to wake the sleeping teenagers and Greg was the first to see Jim's door slightly open. Tiptoeing over, he peeked inside to see both kids were sound asleep. Joyce had her head resting on Jim's chest, his arm safely holding her in place. Greg couldn't help the grin that materialized on his lips. They were going to be okay. He knew his talk with Jim had struck some fear into the boy's heart. After all, he only wanted the best for Joyce as well. Quietly closing the door, he followed Mary down the hall and toward their bedroom, both of them ready to finally have this day over with.


	12. Chapter 12

The school week passed in a blur of study sessions, flash cards, and finally the end of the semester exams. The only exam Hopper was worried about was Algebra. Praying he had passed by the seat of his pants, he headed to Joyce's locker mere minutes after the bell had rang signaling the start of winter break. Finding the top of Joyce's head over the crowd of his peers, Hopper couldn't help the smile that was on his face. When he finally reached her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, chuckling at the way she gasped until she realized who had a hold on her.

"Jesus Hop! You scared the hell out of me!" She scolded, turning around in his arms and gently swatting his chest.

"Come on, you should know by now that anyone coming up behind you like that is going to be me." He playfully kissed her lips.

Releasing her from his hold, she turned back to putting the last of her supplies into her locker. Carefully closing the door, she threaded her fingers with his and watched as he brought her knuckles to his lips.

"Ready to go?" He asked with a smile.

"Ready."

Hand in hand, Joyce and Hopper slowly made their way down the crowded hallway. Upon exiting the school, they were met with the sight of tiny snowflakes falling and littering the pavement.

"I hope it stops in time for the parade tomorrow." Joyce muttered as she pulled the hood of her coat on over her head.

"More than likely will, we're not supposed to get any real amount of snow until Christmas Day. Come on, I don't need you getting sick." Hopper states as he drags her along to his truck. He opened the door for her and helped her inside before making his way to the driver side.

"We gotta run by the station real quick hun, dad needs me to pick up the banner for tomorrow."

"That's fine Hop, gives me a little more time to watch it snow." Pulling out of the parking lot, Hopper turned the heat on full blast. He could feel Joyce shivering from across the cab.

"Hey come here." Hopper called, lifting his arm for her to snuggle into his side. He laughed, then winced when her felt her cold fingertips digging under his layers, finally coming in contact with the skin under them.

"How are you always so warm?" Joyce smiled, moving her hands from his side to his stomach.

"What can I say, im a hairy man." He jokes. "Something has to keep me warm when you steal all the blankets in the middle of the night."

"Hey, I don't steal the entire blanket. I'm tiny I don't need that much."

"Yeah, well your tiny ass sure loves burying into a burrito which takes the whole comforter!"

"Maybe if you kept me warm I wouldn't have to burrito as you call it." She huffs, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Yeah Hop, just a little tired is all. Not to mention I just feel achy." Joyce confided. Pulling in beside the various squad cars of the station, Hopper places his hand on her forehead.

"You're not running a fever, might just need some sleep. We'll try to go to bed early tonight, how does that sound?"

"Sounds like I'm a burrito in waiting." She teased. Reluctantly moving her hands from his stomach, she allowed him to exit the truck.

"I'll only be a minute, I promise. I love you." He calls as he quickly closes his door.

Joyce couldn't help the smile on her face. Hopper had been saying those three little words more frequently the past few days, making her heart hurt in a good way. She still couldn't believe that someone perfect like him could have any interest in plain, boring, her.

Hopper hadn't been lying. He was already out of the station. The muffled sound of the banner landing in the bed of his truck momentarily filled the air before he was sliding into the cab once again with his body heat.

Hopper carried the banner onto the front porch, barely laying it down before Greg came out the front door, two thermouses in hand.

"Hey kids, how was school?" He questioned, sitting down on the old porch swing to lace up his work boots.

"It was good, pretty sure we both passed our exams, now I'm just ready for a few weeks of relaxing." Joyce piped up, going to grab her own boots from the mat by the door.

"Well I'm glad to hear that Joy. And you don't have to put on your boots sweetheart, I can handle getting the horses ready for tomorrow by myself."

"It's okay, I want to help, and besides if all three of us go out there it wont take any time at all to get them brushed and fed."

"Suit yourself then. I do appreciate the help." Watching Hopper get his own boots, Joyce stood to take one of the thromouses from Greg.

"I believe the one you have is filled with coffee and from what Mary tells me, that's not your thing." He commented, already heading down the front steps and toward the barn.

"Go on ahead, I'll be out in a minute." Hopper told Joyce, knowing she was anxious to get the job started.

"Don't take too long or you're the one shoveling shit!" Joyce laughed before running off after Greg.

The barn was a little chillier then Greg would have liked, he needed to add a thicker weather strip around the bottom of the barn doors. Joyce was already grabbing the wheelbarrow and shovel from the back wall, determined to earn her keep he guessed.

"You can always leave that for Jim to get Joyce. It's going to take the longest to get them brushed if you wanna start on that."

"Sure thing Mr. Hopper, I'm just trying to get everything ready for him."

"Joyce, you don't have to call me Mr. Hopper, call me Greg or whatever. Mr. Hopper just makes me sound old." He joked as he began to brush the first horse.

A cold breeze accompanied Hopper as he opened the barn door. "It's quit snowing for the time being, hopefully it holds off until after the parade tomorrow." He gave his shoulders a quick shake before grabbing the pitch fork.

"Should be fine, the two of you will be in the blazer anyway, don't need y'all getting sick."

Joyce nodded at Greg's words, thankful they would be able to run the heat. Even with the windows down, she would at least be warm.

The evening in the barn went by peacefully. Any of the awkwardness from earlier in the week had vanished between the three of them. Greg was ribbing Hopper like usual while Joyce just smiled and kept herself busy. Occasionally she would let out an accidental snort from laughing so hard. What seemed like only a short while later, the horses had been brushed, fed, and were good to go for the night. Hopper gathered their now empty thermoses, and tucked them under his arm.

"Come on you two, Mary has been working on dinner since you came home, should be done by now."

Joyce once again pulled her hood up high over her head, knowing the short walk back to the house would be a cold one. Quickly sliding off their boots, the trio went into the warm house, nothing but dinner and sleep on their minds.

Saturday morning came way too early for the teenagers of the Hopper residence. They were used to getting up early on weekdays, Saturdays however were made for sleeping in.

"Ugh, whoever volunteered us to to this parade needs to be knocked in the nose." Hopper grumbled as he pulled on his borrowed Chiefs uniform.

"That would be you Hop. You wanted an excuse to wear the uniform again." Joyce yawned, going to the closet to grab one of Hoppers old flannels.

"Yeah.. well.. you have to admit I look fantastic in it. I mean look at my ass in this thing!" Hopper spun around, showing off is rear end in his newly dawned Khacki pants.

"Gotta given it to you there, you do have a nice ass." Joyce giggled, walking over to him to give it a small smack.

"Remember what happened the last time you teased the hell out of me? You don't know how difficult it is to try and walk around with a hard on."

Standing in front of him, Joyce stood on her top toes to try and get a kiss. Hopper playfully ignored her, even going as far as to crossing his arms over his chest.

"Come on Hop, please?" She whined, not having had a kiss this morning. She gave him her best puppy dog eyes and eventually it worked.

"Kids you up yet?" Mary's voice called from down the hallway.

"Yeah mom, just putting our shoes on!" Hoper called back, not wanting to share Joyce with the rest of the world just yet. He leaned down and nuzzled the crook in her neck. Smiling when he felt her tilt her head back to allow him more room to work with.

"We need to stop or we're both going to be walking funny." Joyce sighed, pushing gently on his chest.

It didn't take anytime to get the horse together and into the trailer. Greg and Mary were pulling the horses in Hopper's truck, while the teens went in Greg's blazer. Pulling out of the driveway, Hopper gave the blazer a little more gas than necessary.

"How mad do you think dad would be if I turned the sirens on?" Hopper laughed, adjusting himself in the driver's seat.

"Probably pretty pissed if I'm being honest." Joyce laughed, moving to sit on her cold hands.

"We need to invest in a pair of gloves for you, you're hands are always freezing."

"Well it's not like I can help it! I'm just cold natured I guess."

"Well, at least I know another thing I can get you for Christmas." He mentioned, pulling in behind the horse trailer.

"What do you mean another thing? I thought we agreed no presents Hop!" Joyce exclaimed, not meaning to sound as whiny as she did.

"Yes, you and I agreed not to get each other gifts, however, my mom and dad came to no such agreement."

"Hopper that's not fair!"

"Life isn't fair Joyce, now come on, we got horses to unload."

Joyce reluctantly got out of the blazer, still frustrated that The Hoppers we're going to get her stuff for Christmas. She didn't have a way to get them anything in return, hell she hadn't even had time to make them a Christmas card. Putting all thoughts of Christmas gifts behind her, Joyce walked up to the trailer, ready to help unload the horses for their temporary riders.

What seemed like hours later, the parade percussion was finally in order. Obviously starting out with the local cub scout division, Girl Scouts, Hawkins High JROTC, cheerleaders, the high school band, various shops in town, and finally the police department and Santa Claus.

The procession was just as slow as Joyce expected, but at least she had heat on her hands and feet.

"I think the candy for the kids is in the back there." Hopper stated as he cranked the blazer and slowly pulled into formation behind his parents and two officers of the Hawkins Police Department. Joyce and Hopper both casually threw out candy to the tiny residents of Hawkins, giving them big smiles and waves along the way.

"Careful Hopper, we might hit ten on the speedometer." Joyce laughed as she reached for his hand.

"Come on Joyce, it's not that bad. You're just in a bad mood because of the gift thing."

"What are you talking about? I'm not in a bad mood at all."

"Ahuh, whatever you say." He said as he threw another handful of candy out the blazer window.

"So did you ever decide if you wanted to join the force when we graduate?" Joyce questioned, as she moved to thread her fingers with his.

"Honestly? Not really. I mean, yeah I'm sure at some point or another, I'll end up there. But I think maybe I want to do a little something different before I go that route. What that is? I have no idea, but I have a little while to figure that out. What about you? Thought about what you want to do after High school?"

"I think I would like to do something with photography honestly. I mean, before that shit with Chrissy there wasn't a day when I didn't have my camera in my hand ya know? I miss that feeling. Of being able to capture a moment and have it forever."

"Speaking of Chrissy." Hopper nodded toward Joyce's right. Sitting on the side of the road, her two little sisters on either side of her was Chrissy. Her eyes locked with Joyce and a look of disgust formed on her face. Joyce made sure to throw a generous handful of candy toward the little girls and gave Chrissy a shit eating grin and a wave.

"What do you say about going to the diner with me after the parade? Get a bite to eat before we go home and decorate the tree?"

"Sounds like a fantastic idea to me Hop. Now we just have to survive the next half mile." She grinned.

Patsy's diner was packed with the after parade crowd. Opening the door for Joyce, Hopper's hand found the small of her back, ushering her in out of the cold.

"Just the two of you Jim?" Ashely's voice came from their left.

"Yes ma'am Miss Ashley."

"Alright I can get y'all a small table toward the back if that's okay?"

Joyce and Hopper both nodded and followed Ashley toward one of the last unoccupied booths.

"Do you know what you want or do you need a minute?" Ashley asked, holding a pen and a notepad in front of her. Without glancing at Joyce, Hopper rattled off both of their orders.

"Am I that predictable?" Joyce laughed as Hopper sat back in his chair.

"Nah not at all, I've just known you for so long it's kind of second nature I guess." Hopper reached out to take Joyce's hand in his and she felt her cheeks begin to turn red, this was the first time they had really shown any signs of affection in public.

"I feel like everyone is watching us." She whispered, unconsciously rubbing her thumb over his hand.

"It's because they can't get enough of me in this uniform, I mean come on, my ass looks great in this thing." He laughed.

"You have a point there. Had to stop myself on more than one occasion from smacking it today." Joyce confided, giggling at the look of amusement on Hopper's face.

"That so huh? Might have to start wearing this thing more often then."

In that moment Ashley returned with their food. Joyce and Hopper reluctantly let go of each other's hands to make room on the table.

"Anything else I can get you dears?"

Hopper and Joyce both looked around the table, each of them finding their preferred condiments.

"I think we're good Ashley, we'll holler if we need anything." Hopper smiles before reaching for the mustard. Both teenagers dig into their food as if they hadn't eaten three hours ago. Neither one talked much, just a giggle here and there, or a comment on how everything tasted.

"Any idea what we're going to do when we get home?" Joyce questioned over a ketchup drenched French fry.

"Probably hang up our stockings since tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Maybe help mom and dad prepare for the snow tomorrow. We're supposed to get around nine inches I think." Hopper took a drink from his glass and sat back with a moan, his hands coming up to pat his stomach.

"You going to make it over there?" Joyce giggled as she grabbed a napkin from the dispenser. Reaching over the table, she wiped mustard from the corner of Hoppers mouth.

"Can't have you walking around looking like more of a fool then you already do."

"Hey! I'll have you know Jim Hopper never looks like a fool!"

"Yeah...whatever you say deputy."

"Hop! Hop wake up! You've got to see this!" Joyce practically squealed as she jumped up on down on the bed, causing him to unceremoniously hit his head on the headboard.

"Fucks sake Joyce what's going on?" He growled, running his hand over the tender spot on his head.

"It's snowing! Look how much we have, you can barely see the fencepost for the horse pasture from here!"

The excitement in Joyce's voice made Hopper's heart flutter. Her being this excited had been a rare commodity up until she had moved in full time with them. Throwing back the comforter and regretting it almost immediately, he joined her at the window. He wrapped his arms around her middle and stood behind her, his chin resting on the top of her head.

"Damn, you weren't lying. Hopefully we don't lose power." He whispered as his lips found the crook of her neck that he loved so much. Placing a lingering kiss on her goosebump covered flesh, he began to sway their bodies back and forth to a soundless rhythm. Joyce leaned into his embrace, loving the heat of his body.

"We probably need to get dressed, go check on the horses." She mumbled, making no move to actually get dressed.

"But it's cold outside." Hopper whispered, tracing the outline of her hips under her night shirt.

"That's what snow usually does Hop, makes everything cold."

"Good thing I have you to snuggle up to then." He whispered into her ear, gently nipping her lobe.

"You are such a tease Jim Hopper."

"But you love it Miss Horowitz."

"That I do Mr. Hopper, that I do."

Walking back from the horse barn should have taken two minutes, maybe three with the depth of the snow. But when Hopper felt a wet, cold, ball of snow hit him in the back of the neck, all progress in his walk ceased.

"Really Joy? You dare challenge me, the snowball king!" He dramatically exclaimed as he turned to find Joyce already forming another snowball between her small hands.

"Yes your highness, I challenge you to a snowball fight!" Joyce lobbed another snowball at Hopper which he dodged masterfully, bringing his own glob of snow up, he chunked it at Joyce and hit her small frame in the shoulder. He watched as she ducked behind his truck in an attempt at fending off his attack and snuck around the front. Hopper grabbed Joyce from behind, spinning her around in the snow until she squealed for the second time that day.

"Okay, okay! I give, you win again snow king!" Joyce laughed as Hopper placed her feet firmly on the ground.

"Ahh the feeling of being King for another year." He joked, holding her gloved hand with his and the two stood in silence with the exception of their breathing. Joyce laid her head on his chest, trying to find heat under his damp coat.

"You okay Joy?"

"Yeah Hop, my shoulders just bothering me again, guess it doesn't like the cold."

"Well come on, let's get you back inside, we can warm up a bit before lunch." Nodding into his chest, Joyce didn't move.

"Just a few more seconds?" She pleaded, not wanting to leave his embrace just yet.

"We can stay here for as long as you want Honey. I love you."

"I love you too Hop. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For saving me." She whispered, burrowing her head into his chest. Hopper brought his hand up to her chin, gently coaxing her to meet his gaze.

"That's what a real man does Joy, he protects the love of his life, no matter the costs."

The smell of slightly burned Jiffy Pop filled the house.

"Greg insisted I let him do something." Mary whispered to her children, both of whom were cuddling on the love seat, Joyce had her feet in Hopper's lap, loving the foot rub he was dishing out.

"Sorry if it's a little done, but it's still edible." Greg called into the living room as he rounded the corner, two large bowls of popcorn in hand.

"I didn't miss anything did I?" He asked, handing Joyce one bowl and Mary the other.

"No hun, it's just about to start." Greg sat on the couch beside Mary, lifting his arm for her to snuggle into his side. She brought a few pieces of popcorn to his lips, only dropping one into his lap.

The sound of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol filled the small living room. Bringing smiles to all four occupants faces. Joyce threw a piece of popcorn at Jim, surprised when he actually caught it in his mouth.

"King." He whispered, glancing back at the tv. His hand rested on Joyce's leg, drawing small circles onto the pattern of her pajama pants. Halfway through the movie, Joyce adjusted her position on the loveseat, bringing her head to rest on his shoulder. The grandfather clock in the corner of the living room chimed midnight before anyone knew it.

"Merry Christmas Joy." Hopper voiced, bringing her hand to his lips.

"Merry Christmas Hop." Quickly sitting up, Joyce places a kiss on his cheek.

The sound of Greg's slight snores made the two of them glance over at Mary and Greg, both of them had stayed up way past their normal bedtime and had fallen asleep on the couch.

"Come on, let's wake them up then go to bed." Joyce instructed, using Hopper's body as a support as she climbed to her feet.

"Goodnight kids, Merry Christmas." Mary yelled sleepily down the hall.

"Goodnight Mom, Dad, Merry Christmas." Hopper calls back as he closed the door to his bedroom. Letting his sweatpants hit the floor, he lazily climbed into bed. Joyce stood on her side of the bed, removing her pants as well. She reached around to unclasp her bra, super aware that Hopper was watching her every move.

"See something you like?" She questions, turning to climb into bed.

"You know it darlin', I'm a sucker for a good view." He said with a smirk, watching as she pulled the covers aside and crawled on top of him, her legs on either side of his hips. When she didn't lay against his chest like normal, he opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself when she leaned forward and kissed him.

A kiss at night before bed wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but the way Joyce was sliding her tongue inside his mouth almost desperately meant she had no intentions of actually going to sleep any time soon. When her left hand started sliding the hem of his shirt up his body, Hopper finally pulled away to catch his breath.

"What are you doing Joyce?" He asked, not bothering to stop her when she slid his shirt over his head and tossed it onto the bed beside them.

Joyce smiled, biting at his lower lip carefully. "Giving you one of your Christmas presents."

Hopper grinned at her nip and removed his hands from her hips when she shifted lower on his thighs. "What do you mean?"

"Since I can't buy you anything and you like to break the rules, I figured this was something I could actually give you." Joyce's palm found its way over his erection through his boxers and brushed against him lightly before hooking her fingers over the waistband of the thin material. "Lift your hips." She demanded.

Hopper's eyes went wide at the authority in her voice and did as asked even though his brain was telling him they needed to stop. "I'm confused…" The way Joyce swiftly jerked his boxers down his legs and away from his body made him reach for the blanket to cover himself. She'd never seen him completely naked before and he suddenly felt exposed.

"Hey now, none of that." Joyce said, grabbing his hands to place them above his head.

"But my parents-" He started to protest.

Joyce placed a finger over his lips and shook her head. "It's almost one thirty in the morning Hop, there's no way they're going to wake up."

Knowing she was right, Hopper sighed and didn't dare move when she let his wrists go and started kissing down his neck and across his chest. Her delicate fingers wrapped around his dick and she started stroking him slowly, never stopping her path down his body with her mouth. A small gasp escaped his lips when her tongue found its way over his nipple, the sensation causing him to twitch in her hand. She was going to completely ruin him before she even got started at this rate. His skin already felt like it was on fire and he was so hard it was almost painful.

When her thumb swept over the tip of his cock and through his precum, spreading it back down his length like he'd shown her at the tree house, he couldn't help but close his eyes and bite back a moan. The last thing he wanted to do was wake his parents.

Joyce licked and kissed across his abs, continuing to slowly move her hand up and down his length. The feel of her mouth against his hip caused him to jump and snap his eyes back open to look down at her. He should have known she planned to do more than just jerk him off the way she'd been moving down his body, but he wasn't at all prepared for what she did next.

"Fuck!" Hopper hissed when she quickly flicked her tongue against the head of his dick and took the first few inches of him into her mouth. "Joyce...you don't have to do this." He panted, forcing himself to lay as still as possible.

Joyce lifted her head, sliding him out of her mouth slowly. "Do you want me to stop?" She questioned with a mischievous grin, her lips still touching him as she spoke.

"No, it feels good but-"

"Then shut up and let me do this for you."

Authoritative Joyce was something Hopper didn't get to see often, but when she came out to play he was at her beck and call. Before Joyce could bring her lips back to him, Hopper sat up in bed, placing her pillow behind his head.

"If you insist on doing this, then I want to be able to see everything," He murmured, reaching out to touch her cheek lovingly. Taking this as her cue to continue, Joyce once again ran her tongue down his length before putting him back into her mouth. Hopper brought one arm behind his head, the other sliding through Joyce's hair, gently caressing his fingers across her scalp as she swirled her tongue around the head of his cock.

Joyce carefully started taking more of him into her mouth each time she sucked up his length and back down again, praying he couldn't see how intimidated she was at his size. There was no way all of him was going to fit in her mouth, matter less anywhere else when that time came. Not to mention she'd never done this before and was terrified she wouldn't be any good.

"Just go easy Joy, you don't have to take all of it." Hopper breathed, brushing her hair back out of her face. Joyce took his words to heart and only took enough of him to touch the back of her throat without making her gag. She slowly brought her mouth back up to the tip, before going down once again, stroking him with her hand where her mouth couldn't reach.

"Mmm, fuck you feel amazing." Hopper moaned, fisting his fingers into the pillow behind his head as he carefully lifted his hips to see if she could handle him moving. When she didn't try to stop him, he met her thrust for thrust, making sure to not choke her.

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to last much longer." He whimpered, both of his hands now in her hair, twisting the strands between his fingers as he watched her cheeks hollow every time she sucked her way back to his tip, then back down again, doing this several times before he couldn't take it anymore.

"Joy… I'm gonna cum." He grunts, trying his best to keep his voice down. When she doesn't stop, he quickly tugs on her hair and pulls his dick out of her mouth, barely getting his fingers wrapped around himself before he's shooting thick white ropes of cum across his chest and stomach. Turning his head to muffle his moans into the pillow, his back arches off the bed as he continues to stroke himself, the force of his orgasm causing his legs to shake.

Joyce watched in fascination as Hopper came undone in front of her. The raw emotion of his pleasure possibly the sexiest thing she'd ever seen. The events at the tree house didn't even compare to what she was currently witnessing.

"You okay?" Joyce asked when he finally stopped moving.

"Holy shit." Hopper rubbed a hand over his face and finally opened his eyes to look at her. His chest still rising and falling heavily as he tried to catch his breath.

"I thought you said it was never that much?" She questioned, slightly amazed at the amount of cum covering his body.

With a sigh, Hopper lifted his head when he could finally think straight and reached for his shirt beside them. "I don't think you understand what you do to me Joyce. I promise you this only seems to happen when you're involved."

Joyce took the shirt from him and started helping wipe off his stomach after he cleaned the stickiness from his hand. "That stuff shoots pretty far." She said with a giggle, noticing a small puddle of cum near his throat.

"Yeah, it has some force behind it." He laughs, sliding his boxers back up his legs as she throws the soiled shirt in his hamper. Hopper holds out his arms when she makes her way back across the room. "Come here." He coaxes, pulling her so she's resting against his chest like she does most nights.

"You don't know how much I love you." He whispers, giving her a quick kiss.

"Did you like your present?" She asks nervously.

"It was the best present I've ever gotten." He smiles, pulling the blanket over both of them.

"Merry Christmas Hop." She snuggles into his neck.

"Merry Christmas Joy."

"Joyce! Joyce wake up, it's snowing!" Hopper yells as he bounces up and down on his bed.

"Ugh, Hop, it's too early" Joyce whined, trying to once again bury her head under the blanket.

"Yeah sucks when someone wakes you up super early about some snow doesn't it?" Hopper laughed, throwing the covers off of Joyce's body in an attempt to get her moving.

"Hopper! It's freezing!" She exhaled, searching blindly for the blanket once more.

"Well put some clothes on and you won't be cold. It's time to go down stairs!" He laughs, throwing a pair of her sweatpants onto the bed.

"You're lucky I love you." Joyce mumbles as she lifted her hips and slipped her sweatpants over her calves and up her legs.

"And why's that?"

"Because if I didn't, I would throw you out the window."

The smell of coffee assaulted Joyce and Hopper as they walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, good morning." Greg says as he buttered a piece of toast. Joyce couldn't hold back the laughter at Greg's attire. He had on black boots, Santa pants, suspenders, a black tee shirt, and a Santa hat, complete with frills.

"Merry Christmas." Both Joyce and Hopper said in unison.

"Merry Christmas to you. Did y'all sleep well?" Mary questioned from in front of the coffee pot.

"Slept like a log, how about y'all?"

"Slept better once we were in the bed and not on the couch." Greg laughed, pouring some sugar into his coffee.

Joyce and Hopper sat down at the table and instantly had a plate put in front of them. They both knew the drill, breakfast first then presents. While Hopper inhaled his food like a starving man, Joyce took her time, not in a hurry to feel guilty about not getting anyone anything.

"Come on Joy! Presents!" Hopper whined from the seat beside her.

"Don't rush her Jim, those gifts aren't going anywhere." Mary scolded over her cup of coffee. Hopper sat back in his chair and rested his folded hands on his stomach. Catching onto his impatience, Joyce finally finished the rest of her food and slid her plate away from here.

"Alright I'm done."

The words were barely out of her mouth before all three Hoppers jumped to their feet. The sight of the three of them racing into the living room brought a smile to her face. This was her family, maybe not by birth, but by heart.

"Come one Joyce, what are you waiting for!" Greg called from the living room. Laughing, Joyce made her way into the living room to find all three of them standing in front of the tree with Hopper holding a perfectly wrapped box in his hand.

"As per tradition, the youngest one in the house gets to open the first gift." Hopper held out the box to her while Mary brought her camera to her eye.

"Go on and sit down." Greg instructed as he moved to sit on the couch. Following their requests, Joyce sat down on the loveseat, a feeling of excitement starting to form in her stomach. Hopper placed the box in her hands and she was startled by the weight of it.

"You guys really didn't have to do this." She voiced as she began to untie the big red bow on top.

"Just rip it open Honey." Hopper begged as he bounced on the balls of his feet in anticipation.

Rolling her eyes, Joyce ripped the first shred of wrapping paper, exposing the corner of the box. Revealing a grey and black color scheme she was all too familiar with.

"Oh my god, you guys didn't!" She squealed, tearing through the rest of the paper. The flash from Mary's camera went of, temporary blinding Joyce who was now fumbling with her box. There sitting in her lap, was a Canon S7, Joyce's dream camera.

Joyce was unsuccessful in holding back the tears of joy that we're currently threatening to fall onto her cheeks. There was no telling how much this had cost them and yet here it was.

"There's four rolls of film in the box, we figured it was time for you to get back to doing what you love." Greg mentioned from his seat on the couch.

"I don't even know what to say. This is beyond amazing. I can't thank y'all enough."

"You can thank us by taking pictures of the rest of the morning, you always seem to get nicer ones than I do." Mary laughed as she moved to sit beside Greg. Digging in the box, Joyce found the film and expertly popped it into the camera.

"Come on, the first picture I want to take is of the three of you in front of the tree." Joyce stated, her natural photographer rhythm awaking with the feel of a camera in her hands again. The Hoppers all posed in front of their Christmas tree. Jim and Greg in the back, with Mary standing in front of them.

"Say Christmas Cheese." Joyce laughed as she adjusted the focus on her family.

"Christmas Cheese." They chorused, bringing smiles to their faces. The room quickly lit up from the flash, before fading back into the normal dimness of the room.

"Now let me take a picture of you and Jim, it is your first Christmas as a couple after all." Mary smiled, reaching for her own camera.

"You can use mine Mom, I mean y'all did buy it." Joyce carefully held out her camera.

"Thanks, but no thanks honey, that thing is way too important for my clumsy hands, I'll just stick with old faithful here. Now go stand beside Jim." Mary ushered. Following orders, Joyce made her way to Jim's side. He quickly snuck his arm around her waist, pulling her to him.

"Do you like it? We weren't really sure which one to get so the guy at the store picked it out." He murmured as he placed a kiss on the top of her head. A flash filled the room as Mary laughed in delight.

"Got it! Now let's get one without you kissing okay?"

Christmas morning went by in a rush of photographs, bad jokes, and crumpled wrapping paper. Along with her camera, Joyce received a pair of high waisted Bell bottom jeans. "It's time to show off that figure we know you have hiding under there." Mary whispered as Joyce held them up, wondering if she was going to fit in them.

Hopper received a new record player, along with a Johnny Cash, and The Beatles latest vinyl. Mary received three new cookbooks, along with a diamond necklace from Greg. Greg, received a new holster for his pistol, brown work boots, and a new set of wrenches.

A calm that can only be associated with Christmas feel over the Hopper household. The four of them lounged around the house all day, messing with their new gifts, snacking on leftovers, and just enjoying life. Snow began to fall once again around sunset. Hopper and Joyce were in his room, listening to The Beatles, and cuddling on the bed when Joyce let out a sigh, gaining Hopper's attention.

"You okay Honey?" He questioned, adjusting his hold on her.

"Mhmm. Just completely happy." She mumbled, resting her head on his chest.

"Did you have a good Christmas?" He whispered, beginning to rub his fingers through her hair.

"It was the best one I've ever had." Joyce confessed, snuggling deeper into his chest. Thinking back to the events of the past twenty four hours, Hopper had to agree, It had indeed been the best Christmas he had ever had.

"I love you Hopper." She sighed into his chest. Pulling her closer, Hopper kissed her temple.

"I love you too."


	13. Chapter 13

"Joyce?" Greg calls as he approaches his son's bedroom, adjusting his belt to reposition the holster for his pistol. "You about ready to go darlin'?" He stopped in the doorway to see Jim zipping up Joyce's coat and placing a kiss on her forehead.

With a sigh Joyce reluctantly pulls away from Hopper, not at all looking forward to the next few hours. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Hopper carefully reaches out to take her hand, quickly squeezing it two times. "You'll be fine. Dad will be with you the entire time, and mom and I will have dinner waiting for you when you get back." He says, giving her a soft smile, hoping to ease the anxiety he knew she was feeling.

With a nod, Joyce once again let him go and lead the way down stairs, the two men close behind as they entered the kitchen to tell Mary they were leaving. Greg leaned down where Mary was sitting at the table to give her a quick kiss and Joyce offered a small wave before her and Greg walked out to his blazer.

"They're just going to ask you a few questions and file some paperwork to get the case moving as quickly as possible. If Travis comes across the right lawyer, there's a chance he'll be released from jail before the hearing. I may be the Chief, but I can't keep him forever without the proper proceedings." Greg offered, flicking on his turn signal as he reached the end of the driveway.

Joyce tensed at Greg's words and turned to face him. "What?"

Pulling out onto the deserted road, Greg gently placed a hand on Joyce's knee. "Don't you worry darlin'. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure he stays behind bars for as long as possible."

Joyce gave him a silent nod and swallowed, a familiar feeling suddenly washing over her. Greg had never given her any reason to not trust him, but just the thought of Travis possibly having a chance to touch her again made her skin crawl. Without thinking, Joyce reached down to place her hand over Greg's on her knee, squeezing it slightly to try and keep herself grounded. She didn't need to have a panic attack before they even got there.

Greg glanced out of the corner of his eye to take in the sight of Joyce holding his hand. The amount of trust in the small gesture taking him by surprise. Joyce had every right to never trust a man again, especially a father figure, and to know she felt comfortable enough around him to show vulnerability made him swallow down a lump in his throat, the shock of emotions currently hitting him becoming overwhelming. He loved Joyce as much as he loved his son and wanted nothing but the best for her, which is why he was also dreading the next few hours. He didn't want to see her hurt anymore and her lawyer was going to dig up things from her past that he knew for a fact was going to cause her pain.

The rest of the ride was met with silence. Greg not wanting to risk breaking the moment that was allowing Joyce's mind a few extra minutes of calm by engaging in conversation. At least not until he pulled into his normal spot in front of the station and cut the engine to the blazer.

Turning slightly to face the girl he saw as his daughter, he kept ahold of her hand and finally broke the silence. "Before we go in there…" He started. "I think it's fair to warn you that they're going to mention some things that are going to upset you...but I don't want you to get scared okay?"

Joyce slowly met his eyes. "Like what?" She asked, feeling her heart rate begin to rise.

Rubbing his free hand over his face, Greg squeezed hers one more time before pulling away, shaking his head. "I'm not at liberty to say...but I want you to listen to me. At any time you feel uncomfortable or want to leave, just let me know and we'll go." He offered, clearing his throat before opening his door. "Ready?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Joyce gave another silent nod and quickly followed him inside. The sudden wave of chaos that slammed into her upon entering the station made her tense up almost instantly. The phones were ringing off the hook, people were filling up every empty space available trying to talk over one another and she was pretty sure a fight was starting to break out between a couple Flo was trying to help. Hopper hadn't been lying when he told her how busy his father got after the holidays and she suddenly felt bad he was taking time away from his day to help her when others obviously needed his help more than she did.

Keeping a hand on Joyce's back, Greg lead her through the crowded station, ignoring the looks from his co-workers as they headed down a long hallway to an empty room with a small table and four chairs.

"Go ahead and take a seat, I'll be right back."

Joyce watched as Greg disappeared around the corner, thankful he left the door open as she reluctantly pulled out a chair and sat down with her hands in her lap. There was a folder placed on the table across from where she was sitting. A folder she assumed held ever piece of information for her case. She hesitantly reached a hand toward it, but quickly retreated when she heard footsteps approaching.

Greg returned with an older man and shut the door behind them, making sure the blinds in the room were drawn.

"Joyce, this is Brad Walker." Greg introduced, sliding in to sit next to her.

"Pleasure to finally meet you Joyce." Brad offered, extending his hand to her before taking a seat across the table. Joyce stayed quiet after letting his hand go, so Brad rubbed his chin and made a move to get things rolling. When he opened the folder, Joyce's eyes instantly fell to the first thing in the stack that looked to be hundreds of pages of paperwork and pictures. Laying at the surface was a loose image of herself, one she hadn't actually seen before. A picture of her in the hospital.

Brad's voice interrupted her lingering eyes and she snapped them up to meet his just as he closed the folder back and placed a piece of paper on top of it. "Now I'm going to try to make this as quick as possible so you can enjoy the rest of your evening and Greg can get back to work." Pulling out a pen, Brad continued. "Alright let's start out with the simple questions. You're seventeen, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"And you're currently a senior at Hawkins High School?"

"Yes."

"I know these sound like silly questions, but everything I'm going to ask you today is going to be important for your future and how the case will proceed. Greg tells me you've been living with him and Mary since the incident with Travis?"

"Yes, well…" Joyce looked over at Greg, then back to Brad wondering if she should continue.

"Go on." Brad offered.

"I've kind of been living with them off and on for years." She wasn't going to mention the tree house. Worried Greg would somehow get in trouble if they thought he knew about the abuse and had kept it a secret.

"You went to them whenever things at home got bad?" Brad asked, marking something down on the paper in front of him.

Joyce subconsciously reached out for Greg who instantly took her hand in his and scooted his chair closer to her. They weren't even at the worst of the questions that she knew were to come and she already felt herself feeling anxious. "Yes." She finally answered.

"And there's nothing wrong with that, if anything this bit of information could change a few things we're going to go over later. Now, did anyone know about the abuse?"

Once again glancing at Greg, Joyce bit her lip and nodded. "Jim knew." She whispered.

"Jim is your son, correct?" Brad asked, looking to Greg. When he received confirmation, Brad directed his attention back to Joyce.

"When did Jim first find out about the abuse?"

Pausing for a second, Joyce rubbed a hand over her face. "I think I was either thirteen or fourteen."

Brad nodded, scribbling something onto the paper. "Am I correct in assuming the abuse started well before then?"

"Yes."

"How old were you the first time Travis hit you?"

Greg felt Joyce tense and lightly squeezed her hand. "I was...maybe six or seven..." She really wasn't sure. The amount of abuse over the years eventually all blended together, it became difficult to remember a time when she wasn't covered in bruises or in some sort of pain.

Joyce completely missed the look of shock on Greg's face at her confession, only noticing a change when he squeezed her hand even harder.

Remembering how small and innocent Joyce was at that age broke Greg's heart imagining her enduring something so cruel, especially while Linda was still present in her life. He always remembered Joyce as a happy child. A bright smile on her face any time she was at the farm playing with Jim. It wasn't until recently he had learned it was just her and Travis alone in that trailer for years.

"Do you remember why he hit you?" Brad asked, dragging Greg from his thoughts.

Joyce shook her head. "I don't know if it was the time I said something after he hit Linda...or if it was when I didn't finish eating my dinner because I was sick."

"That's alright. I'm just trying to get an idea of when everything started. Did Travis and Linda fight often?"

"For as long as I can remember. Things didn't get bad for me until she left...he blamed me for their failed marriage." Joyce admitted with a shrug. Somewhat numb to the fact considering how many times Travis made a point to remind her that she had ruined his life.

"Did Linda ever try to stop Travis when he directed his anger toward you?"

Joyce shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek when she thought about how much she hated Linda even more in that moment.

"When you filed your report after the most recent incident, you said Travis tried to rape you. Has anything like that ever happened before?"

"N-No." Joyce stuttered. "Not like that."

"What do you mean?" Brad asked, clicking his pen open.

"He would touch me...in ways he knew I didn't like, but not exactly like you're probably thinking. He liked to caress my cheek before yelling or slide a finger down my throat in a sensual way, doing anything to get a rise out of me like it was some kind of game. I didn't think much of it until this last time when he tried to undo my pants..."

Taking a few minutes to write something down, Brad stayed quiet as he shuffled around some more papers from the folder, deciding to change the subject when he picked up on her discomfort, as well as Greg's from the way he was watching Joyce out of the corner of his eye. "Can you show me which of these photos is the oldest?"

Joyce slowly removed her hand from Greg's and took the stack of unmarked pictures. The ones her and the Hopper's never got around to labeling. She spread them out in front of her and tried to keep a level head as she was forced to relive some of the most tormenting moments of her life. "It's one of these two." She said after creating a timeline of her own across the table.

Brad placed the two photos to the side and grabbed a paper clip. "What made you decide to start taking all of these in the first place?" He asked while writing notes and clipping labels to the photos.

Joyce reached up to rub the back of her neck. "I think deep down I knew I needed help, even though I wasn't willing to admit it." She said with a sigh, feeling herself getting worked up. "Jim begged me every day to tell someone and I wouldn't let him...I didn't want anyone to know. No one was supposed to ever see these..."

Setting his pen down, Brad met Joyce's eyes from across the table. "Why didn't you just ask Greg for help? As the Chief, surely you knew he was more than capable of handling this and making sure Travis could never touch you again."

Joyce blinked to keep tears she could feel pricking her eyes at bay and swallowed. "I get picked on at school...I never had nice clothes, I always had to wear something with long sleeves to keep the bruises hidden, and kids…they're not really accepting of things they don't understand. I keep to myself and make good grades. I was the weird kid everyone thought was a freak because I was the teacher's pet and wanted to be left alone. I even made Jim leave me alone and he's my best friend. We haven't been seen in school together in the last six years until a few weeks ago."

Greg once again looked over at Joyce as he soaked in all of this newfound information. Jim had mentioned the night he found the black box that Joyce had a difficult time in school, but he never knew she had isolated herself from everyone, including his son, the one person who was constantly glued to her hip when he saw them together.

"And well…" Joyce continued. "I was scared. I didn't want word to get around that Travis had been arrested for abusing me. Giving everyone at school even more of a reason to make fun of me. My life is already complicated enough, i'm the daughter of someone who has a reputation for being a nuisance in Hawkins. What if no one believed me? What if Travis got arrested and was released days later because there wasn't enough evidence? You saw what happened when I got in trouble at school, who knows how bad it would have been if he knew I told?"

"You knew nothing about this?" Brad directed his question to Greg.

"I knew Joyce's home life wasn't the best. I've arrested Travis on more than one occasion for public intoxication and an assault charge, but I only recently found out Linda hasn't been around for close to a decade. Had I known…" Greg sighed, somewhat upset at himself for not acting on his instincts sooner. "This would have been taken care of years ago."

Brad rubbed the back of his hand over his brow and looked down at his notes. "Joyce said she's been living with you and Mary off and on for a long time?"

"Her and my son have been friends since they were around three and four years old. The Horowitz's are the only neighbors we have for miles and It's not uncommon for me to come home and see Joyce helping Jim with his chores, or Mary setting the dinner table for four at least a few times a week. She's been celebrating the holidays with us for as long as I can remember and Mary and I care about her as much as we do our own son."

Brad gave Greg a nod and wrote something down before sighing. "Speaking of that and moving back to discussing Linda. Greg and I have already gone over this Joyce, and we are working to make sure everything works out in your best interest, but by law, since you're underage and Linda is not only your mother, but the only relative we have on record, we have to give her the chance to claim custody over you."

Joyce's eyes went wide and she instantly looked between the two men in the room. "What? Why?" She asked, her voice failing to hide the stress she was suddenly feeling.

"Unfortunately that's how the law works. The paper's were sent to her lawyer a few days ago and all we can do now is wait for a response. However, since Linda hasn't been a part of your life in close to ten years, that bit of information could work well in your favor. The system would rather place you with a family you feel comfortable with over a blood relative if they find Linda unsuitable. The only problem is, Linda's life is fairly consistent. She's married to a preacher and the church and community talk highly of her and her husband. The social worker assigned to your case may see that as the perfect placement for you. The best option, and this is what we're counting on, is that Linda gives up her rights. After that, all I have to do is send off some paperwork and Mary and Greg will be granted temporary custody of you until you turn eighteen."

Joyce felt herself starting to breathe heavier and ran a hand through her hair to stay calm. "So you're telling me there's nothing we can do if she actually wants this?"

"We can fight it. That's why it's a good thing she's been out of your life for so long, as much as I hate to say it. We can go to court and have a custody hearing. Separate from the trial with Travis."

"Yeah...but how often does the court overlook a mother who's apparently living the perfect life?" Joyce asked, sitting up straighter to get more air into her lungs when her anxiety started getting out of control.

"Joyce." Greg spoke suddenly, placing a hand on her back when he saw the early signs of her starting to panic. "Listen to me. Mary and I aren't going to let anyone take you away from us. I need you to calm down darlin', take in a deep breath for me."

Reaching up to wipe her face as tears rained down her cheeks, Joyce did as asked and sucked in a deep breath, failing at holding back a sob. "I can't live with Linda...not after what she did to me." She frowned, looking toward the closest thing she'd ever had to a father.

"And you won't have to, I promise." Greg said. "The case we have against her if she wants custody is foolproof and Brad here is the best lawyer in the state. We're just hoping we can avoid going to court over it."

Joyce sniffed and rubbed a hand up and down her arm to ease her nerves, Greg offering what little comfort he could by keeping his hand placed against her back.

"Are you ok to answer a few more questions for me Joyce?" Brad said through the silence, feeling guilty for even asking as he watched the poor girl breaking down in front of him. He'd worked hundreds of cases dealing with child abuse and custody battles, but he'd never been given actual picture evidence that showcased years of torture. Stories from family members existed, along with photos of abuse when the victims finally came forward, but never like this and never to this degree. Joyce's case had been the worst he'd ever seen and he was honestly surprised she was still sitting in front of him talking. Most of the kids he'd worked with, even at the same age as Joyce were going through special therapy or refused to speak to him all together.

"It's alright if you want to go home honey, we can finish this another time." Greg said, knowing she was getting tired.

Joyce shook her head. "I just want all of this to be over with..."

Brad pointed to the photos still laid out before him that Joyce had rearranged and started working with her to get the rest of them labeled and packed away so they could be presented at the hearing. After another thirty minutes, Brad set his pen down, not wanting to ask Joyce his next question, but knew he had to. "This is the last thing we need to discuss, and Greg and I will gladly leave the room and I'll bring in someone else if you feel more comfortable, but I need to know if you have any scars, or marks from Travis' abuse? and if so we'll need to take pictures to make sure they match up with the images you've provided."

"I have a few scars…" Joyce said quietly before dropping her head when both Brad and Greg's eyes fell on her. She had no idea why she suddenly felt nervous. Both of them had already seen her body in the hundreds of pictures now secured in a folder across from her, there wasn't much left to hide. Her hand slowly reached up to grab the collar of her shirt when she started getting anxious again. "Travis was usually careful about where he'd hit me, most of them are on my back and my ribs. There's one on the inside of my lip, a burn on my arm and a scar near the base of my skull, but I never took photos of those...it happened before Jim found out."

"Wouldn't hurt to document them as well." Brad stated, shifting to stand as he moved the folder from the table into his briefcase.

Greg turned to face Joyce then. "Do you want me to get officer Miller or maybe Flo to take the pictures?"

Joyce shook her head, not willing to admit that the thought of being left in a room with someone she barely knew made her more nervous than just letting one of them do it. "It's ok."

"I'll be right back then." Brad said before exiting the room, leaving Joyce and Greg sitting in silence.

Greg took a moment to collect himself. Watching Joyce the last two hours had opened his eyes to just how strong of a person she really was. She had a determination he'd never seen before and she was only seventeen years old. He couldn't imagine living eleven years of torment and turning out half the person she was. He'd seen grown men return from war just after a year completely ruined without a scratch on them and Joyce seemed like any normal teenage girl if you looked past the nightmares that were slowly fading. Even her PTSD wasn't as severe as it once was and she'd overcome it all on her own. She didn't need therapy or medication to fight her demons.

"Joyce?" Keeping his voice low to not startle her, Greg waited for her to look at him before he continued. "I just want you to know how sorry I am darlin'. I wish I had paid better attention when you were younger and none of this would have ever happened." He was a cop for crying out loud, it was his job to notice these things and in that moment he felt like a failure in some way.

Joyce swallowed the lump in her throat when she was met with Greg's broken expression and tried miserably to blink back fresh tears she could feel pooling in her eyes. "It's not your fault...I didn't want anyone to know." She whispered, wiping the back of her hand across her cheeks to dry them.

Greg leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table and placed his hand on the bridge of his nose, a gesture Joyce realized Hopper had picked up on whenever he was frustrated. "That bastard is going to pay for this. Even if for some reason he isn't sentenced, you have my word that he'll never be able to touch you again. I'll make sure of it."

The sound of the door opening drew Joyce's focus away from her conversation with Greg and over to Brad who was now standing in front of her holding a camera in one hand and a new roll of film in the other. It was a newer model, similar to the one she had gotten for Christmas.

"Sorry, I'm not very good with these things." Brad admitted as he struggled getting the small door open to insert the film.

"May I?" Joyce asked, holding her hand out toward the camera.

Brad handed over the piece of equipment, slightly baffled when she popped the film in no problem and handed it back to him in less than a minute.

"You ready?" Brad asked, not bothering to take a seat.

Joyce paused for a second, looking around the room at nothing in particular before standing and unzipping her coat. She slid the puffy material from her arms and laid it across the back of her chair. When she went for the buttons of her flannel, that's when Greg noticed her hands shaking and reached out to touch her arm.

"Are you sure you don't want me to get someone else?"

Not trusting her voice, Joyce shook her head and tried to ease the tension she could feel between her shoulder blades. Silently wishing she'd worn a shirt under her flannel to have some sort of material to hide behind, she reached the last button and hesitated. No one had seen her scars except Hopper and a sudden feeling of shame washed over her.

"It's ok Joyce, no one here is going to hurt you." Greg offered when he noticed she hadn't made a move to undo the button she'd been holding between her fingers.

Joyce shut her eyes and let the flannel slide from her shoulders, pretending she didn't hear Greg's sudden intake of breath at the sight before him.

"Alright Joyce, I'm going to start with your left side. I just need you to step over here and away from the table." Brad directed, trying to get this over and done with as quickly as possible.

The first flash from the camera caused Joyce to jump slightly and she bit her lip to keep still, knowing the slightest movement would mar the photographs. Brad lingered at her side a moment, making sure to focus on a particularly nasty scar that crept up under her bra.

"Go ahead and turn your back toward me." Brad instructed as he put his finger on the shutter button once more. Joyce complied, trying her best to ignore the feeling of exposure that was gnawing at her as she moved her hair out of the way so he could see the back of her head.

"Can you tell me how you got this scar so I can add it to the file?" Brad asked as she moved her hair again to allow him a better look.

"Oh...um." Joyce stuttered slightly. "Travis shoved me and I fell into the corner of the coffee table." She whispered, dropping her eyes back to the floor.

Brad set the camera down on the table and reached into his briefcase to pull out the paper he'd been writing on. "Sorry, I thought we were finished with this as well."

"Can you hold out your arm?" He asked, picking the camera back up to take a quick picture of an obvious cigarette burn.

"Now your right side." Turning once more, she complied and stood still as Brad circled around her body and took two more photos.

Just as Brad was asking to see Joyce's lip, Greg spoke and interrupted him. "What about that scar on your hip Joyce?" He asked, pointing toward a thin pink scar peeking out from under the waist of her jeans.

Joyce turned her head, looking down at the forgotten scar and her lip twitched into a small smile, the first one Greg had seen all afternoon. "I was jumping a fence to get away from Jim who was trying to tickle me and slipped." She said, not missing the eye roll Greg gave before smiling himself.

"We won't worry about that one then." Brad said with a light chuckle." And as much as I hate to ruin the moment, I do have to ask about the scar on your lip."

"My tooth sliced it open when Travis grabbed my chin one time while he was yelling. He rarely ever hit me in the face, afraid to leave a mark, but he wasn't usually gentle when it came to touching me either...obviously." She said, wiping her suddenly sweaty palms over her thighs.

Brad quickly wrote something down, then positioned himself directly in front of her. "This is all we have left, then we can call it a day alright?"

Joyce gave a nod and slid her fingers into her mouth, pulling on her lip to expose the small scar that was slightly to the left near her teeth. As soon as Brad snapped the shots and set the camera on the table, Joyce didn't hesitate to grab her flannel, sliding her arms into the sleeves. She turned her back to the men as she fixed the buttons and allowed herself a moment to focus on how she was currently feeling. She couldn't remember a day where she'd experienced so many emotions at once and was having a difficult time trying to find a proper balance inside her head.

After putting her coat on, Joyce flexed her fingers, hoping to ease some of the tension she was still feeling and met Greg's eyes to see if they were finished.

"Joyce?" Brad called, gathering her attention from where he stood across the table holding his briefcase. "I want to thank you for being so cooperative today. You're a very brave young woman and I'm sorry I had to make you relive the past eleven years all over again. Just know that i'm going to do everything I can to make sure Travis goes away for a long time." He paused for a second, handing a piece of paper to Greg. "Your hearing is set for January twenty seventh and we'll meet again briefly on the twenty fifth to make sure everything is in order. The only time you'll hear from me before then is when I get the papers back from Linda's lawyer and we'll take things from there." Brad reached out to shake both of their hands. "I hope the two of you can try to enjoy the rest of your day." And with that, Brad was out the door, leaving Joyce and Greg standing in silence.

"Ready?" Greg asked, holding the door open for her.

Instead of leaving the room like Greg expected, Joyce turned and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting the side of her head against the front of his uniform. "Thank you." She whispered.

"Darlin' there's nothing at all you need to thank me for." When the initial shock of her gesture wore off, Greg let go of the door and carefully wrapped his arms around her much smaller frame.

Joyce sucked in a breath and lifted her head to see his face, not willing to release her hold just yet. Much like when she stood with Hopper, the top of her head barely reached the height of his shoulders. "I could have died if it weren't for your family...this...none of this would have been possible without you." She blinked, trying once again to not cry. "I'll never be able to repay you for everything you've done…I never thought I would deserve the kindness you, Mary, and Jim have given me."

Greg frowned, really hoping the tears he could see shining in her eyes didn't fall, because he wasn't sure his heart could take it. "Honey, that's what family does, we protect each other. I'm just sorry I didn't step in soon enough."

Joyce shut her eyes and dropped her forehead against his chest. The days events finally taking their toll. "That's the thing dad, you stepped in when I needed you the most and I can't tell you how grateful I am." She whispered.

Greg felt a warm feeling rise in his chest at that one simple word. Dad. She had called him dad and it brought him a sense of pride. She finally felt comfortable enough with him to call him something besides his name, and of course she had been right. If they hadn't of taken her in, if Jim hadn't fallen head over heels for her, she probably wouldn't be here today. The thought made him pull her closer.

When Joyce lifted her head again and Greg was met with her exhausted expression, he loosened his hold and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on darlin', let's get home. I'm sure Mary and Jim are both worried."

At the mention of Jim's name, Joyce pulled away from Greg and exited the room. As much as she found comfort in his presence, Hopper was ultimately the only one who could make her feel better after the stressful day she'd had.

Chatter from the main part of the station echoed off the walls of the hallway, reminding Joyce that Greg would more than likely be stuck here most of the night. "Do you want me to call and see if Jim will come pick me up so you can go back to work?" She asked, turning to face him as she slowed her pace.

Greg shook his head and placed a hand on her back to keep her moving. "They'll be alright without me for another thirty minutes."

"You sure about that Chief? I mean, your fellow pigs just have me sitting in the hall here when they know my princess is only a few feet away."

Rounding the corner, the hair on the back of Joyce's neck immediately stood at attention as she came face to face with Travis. When Greg felt her stiffen under his hand, he quickly stepped around her to place himself between her and the piece of shit that was currently sitting on a bench in front of them.

"The hell you doing out here Horowitz?" Greg demanded, looking down the hall for another officer, wondering why in the hell he'd been left unattended.

"I could ask you the same thing Chief. I don't like the way you're getting all handsy with what's mine either." Travis spat, trying to look around the much larger man.

"She's a person Travis, not a piece of property." Greg snapped, doing his best to keep Joyce out of sight with his body. He didn't miss feeling the small hand that was suddenly gripping the back of his shirt.

"She's whatever the fuck I say she is, isn't that right princess?" He questioned, stretching his legs out in front of him. That's when Joyce noticed the chains connecting his cuffed hands to the cuffs on his ankles.

"Dad, can we please just go?" Joyce begged, trying her best to get Greg to move.

"The fuck you just call him?!" Travis roared, quickly standing to his feet. Before she knew what was happening, Greg shoved Travis back down onto the bench, his hand going for his pistol.

"You even breathe wrong Horowitz and it's game over, you got me?" Greg hissed, not giving a damn who heard him.

Joyce took a step back and pressed herself against the wall, her breathing coming in short pants as she gripped the collar of her coat. She had spent the last few hours going over the most horrific moments of her life and had kept her anxiety at a manageable level, but just the sight of Travis had her feeling like she was back in that trailer suffocating.

"Joyce, I need you to go get Mark, he should be in the front with Flo. Can you do that for me?" Greg called over his shoulder, his eyes never leaving Travis.

Joyce stood stock still as she tried to control the shaking in her hands, desperately needing something to pick at other than her collar.

"Go on darlin', I-"

"You calling my girl darlin' now Hopper? I should kick your fuc-" The sound of flesh hitting flesh propelled Joyce forward and down the hallway. She wouldn't be able to handle it if something happened to Greg because she couldn't accomplish the simple request. Finally getting to the front of the station, her eyes landed on Mark sitting at his desk, another man in front of him with an open briefcase between them.

"All I'm saying is, Mr. Horowitz is innocent until proven guilty and I for one-" Mark held his hand up, stopping the man in front of him from talking.

"Joyce, is everything okay?" He questioned, rising to his feet when he noticed the state she was in.

"Travis…Greg…Hallway." She cried out between shallow breaths. Both of them took off running down the hallway within seconds. Joyce plucked a paper clip from Mark's desk, giving her something to fiddle with to keep her focused on anything other than what was happening and quickly followed the two men, needing to make sure Greg was okay.

"Chief, what's going on?" Mark's voice rang out down the hallway at the sight of his boss towering over a bleeding Travis.

"Horowitz tried to make a move on Joyce, I got him to sit down and when he jumped up again I hit him." Greg admits, stepping back once Mark and the other gentlemen were in front of Travis.

"She's mine Greg, mine! If I catch you touching her again I'll kill you and your whole fucking family, you hear me?! I have eyes on her and that sorry excuse of a man you call a son! I won't be in there long and you better be fucking ready when I get out! You're fucking dead!" Travis screamed, trying his best to free himself from Mark's grip, as well as his restraints.

Joyce had her back against the wall again, needing something supportive behind her so she didn't pass out when black dots began to fleck in front of her vision. She needed to get out of there, needed to get away from Travis and the screaming. Turning to run down the hallway, she didn't miss Travis' words echoing behind her.

"Run all you want princess, you haven't seen the last of me!"

Joyce didn't care that she was making a scene when she shoved passed a crowd of people and made her way out of the station. The only thing running through her mind was finding safety, and safety to her in that moment was Greg's blazer. Once she reached the vehicle she quickly climbed inside, locked the doors and crawled into the floorboard, making herself as small as possible. A minute later, the driver side door opened and Joyce dropped her forehead to her knees, placing her arms over her the back of her head protectively.

"It's just me darlin'. I'm not gonna hurt you." Greg said calmly as he positioned himself in the driver's seat and shut the door. The sound of her short intakes of breath had him reaching for his radio as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"Mary? Jim?" Greg called through the channel linked to his radio back at the farm.

Less than a minute later, Mary's voice rang out through the light static. "Greg? Is everything alright? Over."

"I need you to tell Jim to meet me outside when we get home, I'll be there in five minutes. Over." Hanging the receiver back on the hook, Greg glanced down at Joyce who hadn't moved since they left the station. Her breathing had become more erratic and he could see her visibly shaking as she pushed through her panic attack. He knew Jim had a better chance of getting her to calm down than he did, which is why he was currently going well over the speed limit to make sure she didn't have to suffer longer than necessary.

"Joyce, we're almost home, I need you to breathe for me honey. Just focus on my voice. You're ok." Greg soothed, not risking touching her, afraid he'd make the situation worse.

Turning down the gravel driveway to the farm, Greg could see both Mary and Jim already standing on the porch awaiting their arrival. He barely had the blazer in park before his son was running toward him.

"What's going on? Where's Joyce?" Jim asked in a rush when he didn't see her in the passenger seat.

Greg reached out to grab Jim's shoulder and guided him around to the other side of the vehicle. "She's having a panic attack." He said, opening the door to reveal Joyce curled into a ball in the floorboard.

"Shit." Hopper whispered under his breath as his father stepped aside and he could finally see the state she was in. Her small body was shaking so hard he had to fight back the urge to pull her against him. "Joyce?" Keeping his voice low, he tried to get her to register he was there without having to touch her. When she didn't react, he called her name again and still got nothing. Knowing his next move was risky, he scooped her into his arms and out of the floor. The sudden movement caused her to flinch and he quickly placed her in the seat facing him with her legs dangling over the side where he was standing.

"Shhh it's alright sweetheart. It's just me." He soothed, bringing his hands up to cup her cheeks when he knew she wouldn't pull away. "Just breathe. You're back home, you're safe. Everythings okay."

Something about Hopper's eyes slowly drew Joyce out of the darkness she'd been trapped in and her arms subconsciously found their way around his waist. The smell of his flannel flooded her senses and she sighed, burying her face into his chest.

"What in the world happened Greg?" Mary questioned, looking up to see him still watching the kids.

"Travis is what happened. That son of a bitch." He couldn't wait until the bastard got sent away for good. Joyce deserved a life free of the nightmares he had created. Greg wasn't sure how often Joyce got like this, but just seeing her this bad was enough for him to hope it never happened again.

"He was there at the station and started running his mouth to Joyce." Greg bit out bitterly, bringing his hand up to rub over his eyes.

The movement caught Mary's attention and that's when she noticed his bloody knuckles. "You hit him?" She asked, reaching out to grab his wrist gently to inspect the damage.

The sound of the truck door closing made both adults look up to see Jim with his arms full of Joyce. Her head was laying on his shoulder completely exhausted.

"I'm fine darlin', nothing you need to worry about." Greg pulled his wife in for a quick kiss. "I have to get back to the station, you call me if anything happens, okay?"

Mary nods, pulling Greg in for one more quick kiss before going to open front door for her son.

Hopper miraculously kicked off his boots without putting Joyce down. "She just needs rest mom. I'm going to put her in bed."

"Stay with her Jim, the last thing she needs is to be alone right now." Mary insisted.

Hopper nods and begins the short climb up the steps, Joyce still bundled in his arms. He gently nudged his bedroom door open with his toes and laid her down on their bed, taking off her shoes as she slept. He knew her panic attacks took a lot out of her, but she always seemed so damn tired.

"Do you want to sleep in your jeans?" He spoke, placing his hand on her shoulder and slightly shaking her awake.

"No. Uncomfortable." She murmured, rolling onto her back to allow him to unfasten the button. His fingers brushed the skin under her navel, making her sigh once again as she fell back asleep. Eventually, he worked her jeans off, tossing them in the corner of his room before removing his own and joining her in bed where he pulled her back against his chest.

"It's okay honey, get some rest. No one is going to hurt you. Not while I'm around." They laid there for hours, Hopper methodically counting her breaths and Joyce safety sleeping in his arms.


	14. Chapter 14

The Hopper household was packed to the brim. Friends and co-workers from the station filled the downstairs of the beautiful farmhouse. It was New Years Eve and everyone was celebrating, ready to put the acts of this year behind them. Mary, ever the proper hostess was asking if anyone needed drink refills or wanted a snack from the vast array of finger foods her and Joyce had prepared earlier on in the day. The kids however, were upstairs in Hopper's room, away from all the hubbub and loud voices.

"Do you have a New Years resolution Joy?" Hopper questioned as he flipped through one of the various car magazines Greg bought religiously.

"I'm not totally sure. I mean, if I had to guess I would say to get some sort of plan together for my life after high school. I want to go to college, but I don't have a clue what for. What about you?"

"My resolution is to kiss you at least four times a day." He grinned over his magazine, catching the blush that formed on her cheeks.

"Well I don't think you're going to have a problem with making sure that resolution comes true." She laughed, getting to her knees to place a kiss on his cheek, his post shaving stubble scratching her lips.

"I love you." He whispers, running his fingers through her hair, watching as her eyes rolled into the back of her head with the motion. Putting the magazine down, Hopper let Joyce lay between his thighs, his hands carefully continuing the soothing pattern into her scalp.

"I love you too Hop." She says, snaking her arms around his waist.

The sounds from the party continued to grow in volume and for once Hopper was glad he wasn't downstairs with his parents friends, sneaking beers and shots when the adults weren't looking, or were too drunk to care.

"You keep playing with my hair I'm going to be asleep before midnight." Joyce mumbles into his shirt. Hopper stopped for a second before she was pushing her head back into his fingers. "I didn't say I wanted you to stop." She whined, causing him to laugh. Glancing at his alarm clock, Hopper noticed it was a quarter until midnight.

"Do you want to head downstairs for a few minutes before the ball drops?" He murmured, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Probably need to, no telling how long it's going to take us to actually find Mom and Dad…it doesn't bother you that I'm calling them that does it?" She wonders out loud, moving to sit up off of him.

"Not at all honey, it makes me happy that you have parents who are worth a damn now." Hopper stands to his feet and stretches, his shirt rising to show off the trail of hair from his stomach that disappears into his jeans. The urge to scratch her fingers through it made Joyce's fingers tingle.

"You okay?" His voice cuts through her thoughts.

"What? Oh yeah I'm fine, just thinking. Come on, let's go find them, it's almost midnight."

"Five...Four...Three...Two...One...Happy New Year!" Hopper was grabbing Joyce within milliseconds, wanting nothing more than to start the new year off with his lips on hers.

"Happy New Year honey." He whispers into her ear as Greg and Mary come up for air themselves.

"Happy New Years kids!" Greg slurred as he put his arms around Jim and Joyce's shoulders.

"Happy New Years." They replied, laughing at the way Greg used the two of them for balance.

"I can't wait to see what the new year brings the two of you." Mary called out, going under Greg's arms to get him off of them.

"Greg? Honey, will you get me another drink?" Mary asks, giving her husband a look she knows he can't resist. Greg gives his wife a two finger salute before slowly walking toward the kitchen, stopping along the way here and there to chat. Mary waited until he was out of eye sight before she stepped closer to her kids.

"There are quite a few people staying here tonight and not that I don't trust them..." Mary looks around scanning their surroundings. "But accidents do happen. So I give you permission to lock your door tonight Jim, just in case." She finishes, looking up into the eyes of her son. She knew he wouldn't let anyone hurt a hair on Joyce's head, but she would rather be safe than sorry.

Joyce looked up at Hopper, his eyes scanning their surroundings as he took in the various drunk males in his family home. His hand found its place at the small of Joyce's back, already trying to lead her toward the steps and the second floor of the house. Stopping to place a kiss on his mother's cheek, Hopper looked down at one of the most important women in his life.

"Thank you for trusting us mom. I love you, tell dad we said goodnight okay?" Mary nods and turns her attention to Mark's wife who had been trying to talk to her all night.

The teens scurried up the stairs, Hopper occasionally looking over his shoulder. The tension there didn't release until the door to his bedroom closed and he slid the lock home with one swift movement.

"You don't think someone will try to come in do you?" Joyce questioned, her hands already plucking at the hem of her shirt, one of her nervous habits.

"Not unless they want a size thirteen to the face." He threatened and pulled his shirt over his head. Joyce watched his hands go to his belt and unclasped the metal buckle, making quick work to undo the button and zipper on his jeans. Looking up, he found Joyce's eyes on him and playfully raised his brow.

Joyce smiled at the look he gave her and wrapped her arms around him, kissing just below the patch of hair on his chest. "Mmm, I love you." She said, closing her eyes and snuggling her cheek into the warmth of his skin.

Hopper instinctively pulled her tighter against him and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too."

Joyce looked up at him after a minute and placed a kiss just below his nipple, then another on his sternum, slowly making a trail of kisses up his torso to his collarbone. She felt him shiver beneath her touch and stood on her tiptoes to lick the hollow of his throat. "I also love your body." She whispered, causing him to whimper.

Taking a step back, but never letting him go, Joyce raked her eyes over him, admiring his toned abs and the perfect V of his hips that his jeans were barely clinging to. A sight that suddenly made a heat rush between her legs and a moan threaten to escape her parted lips.

The level of teasing Joyce had just achieved had Hopper struggling to think straight as her hands made their way to his hips, her thumbs hooking around his belt loops. Swallowing, he closed the distance between them when she grabbed his pants and reached down to squeeze her ass with both of his hands, pulling her against his erection, wanting her to know exactly what she was doing to him. "You have no idea how much I want you...God I want you so bad." He breathed, the flood of arousal swimming through his body causing him to slip and say what he'd been trying not to. They'd just recently discussed not taking things further than messing around, but fuck he couldn't help it. Someone as sexy as Joyce constantly touching him made the desire hard to ignore.

"I want you too Hop." That was not at all what he'd been expecting to hear and without thinking he moved his hands from her ass to the back of her thighs, lifting her from the ground. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist and he carried her over to his dresser, placing her on top of it before grabbing her hips and pulling her to the edge so she was flush against him. His lips found hers again, his fingers threading through the back of her hair as he assaulted her mouth with his tongue, desperately trying to ease an ache he couldn't explain.

When Hopper thrust his hips forward, his hard on brushed directly against her clit and she pulled away with a gasp, her teeth moving to bite into his shoulder when he did it a second time.

The growl that escaped Hopper's throat at her bite lit every nerve ending in Joyce's body on fire. "Hop…" She whined, pulling on his hair almost painfully to bring his lips back to hers.

Hopper couldn't think of a time when Joyce had ever been aggressive with him and it was quite possibly the hottest thing he'd ever experienced. The little sounds she was making in the back of her throat as she fought against his tongue with hers was becoming too much, he needed a second to calm down. "Jesus christ." He panted, placing a hand on the dresser beside her to hold himself up.

Joyce was relentless, the moment his lips weren't on hers, they were sucking at his neck and he couldn't take it anymore. Reaching up, he grabbed a hold of her hair and pulled her head away from him a little rough, meeting her eyes for the first time since they started this. Barely a sliver of brown could be seen around her pupil and Hopper tensed, quickly grabbing his dick with his free hand through his boxers to keep from cumming. The sight of her red swollen lips, mixed with the lust he could feel coming off her in waves was doing things to his body he didn't think was possible.

Not trusting his voice to speak, Hopper let go of her hair and grabbed the hem of her shirt, lifting it up her body with one hand until it was over her head and falling to the floor. Joyce was kind enough to remove her bra and arched her back toward him when she was bare, bringing her perfectly perky tits within inches of his face.

Resisting the urge to suck a nipple into his mouth, Hopper removed his hand from around his dick and gathered her into his arms, walking three steps across the room to his bed. Carefully laying her down, he took a second to let his pants puddle on the floor, then placed a knee on the edge of the mattress, her curious eyes following his every move.

Adjusting himself over top of her, he made quick work of getting her jeans unbuttoned and unzipped. "Lift your hips." He demanded, raising his head to see her face when she hesitated.

Joyce looked down at him, biting her lip nervously. The same look she'd given him before when she thought they were going to have sex envading her features. Hopper kept a hand gripping the waist of her jeans and moved the other to rub her side lovingly. "Sweetheart we don't have to have sex if you're not ready." He was perfectly fine messing around for as long as she liked, but if she wanted to completely stop everything right then, she might actually see him cry. He was so hard in that moment he was pretty sure the slightest touch would hurt and thinking of goats and old ladies wasn't going to cut it this time.

"But I want to." Joyce admitted. "I'm just scared..." Hopper studied her face closely. She was obviously still turned on and making no move to physically stop him, so he continued pulling her pants down until they joined his on the floor.

"Do you trust me?" Hopper asked, moving to hook his fingers over the edge of her panties, keeping eye contact with her as he kissed just below her belly button. "I just want to touch you."

Joyce reached down to brush her fingers through his bangs. "I trust you Hop." And she really did. If he said they wouldn't have sex until she was ready, she knew he wouldn't pressure her into it. That didn't mean she wasn't slightly nervous about what he was going to do right then however.

Hopper grinned at her confirmation and kissed her hip bone, sliding the thin cotton down her legs to be tossed over his shoulder. He wasn't surprised when she squeezed her thighs together once she was bare to him, and instead of trying to stop her, he moved back up and kissed her lips softly. Much different from the eagerness and lust driven kisses they had shared moments before. "Relax."

When she started pushing against him with more force and she allowed him to settle between her legs, he finally broke the kiss and nipped and licked his way back down her body. Making a quick stop to suck a nipple into his mouth, he swirled his tongue around the tight bud a couple of times and a rush of air quickly left her lungs as she arched her back toward him.

Hopper always had a weird fascination with how small Joyce was, something about his large mass being over her much smaller one in that moment brought him a sense of possessiveness. He could easily overpower her in any way possible and yet here she was, laying bare and vulnerable beneath him with all the trust in the world that he wouldn't hurt her.

"I love you." He murmured against the skin of her hip, lingering there a moment while he used both of his hands to spread her legs open even further. Hopper finally pulled back enough to see what he'd been longing to see for years and his cock instantly twitched at the sight before him. Joyce was just so fucking perfect, in every way possible. From her petite frame, small round breasts, flat stomach, curvy hips and ass, it all screamed perfection. She would argue with him until she was blue in the face that her scars had ruined her body, but he even found those to be beautiful. It made her Joyce, his Joyce, and he felt like the luckiest man alive that she had allowed him to be the first person to see her this way. That she had allowed him to be hers period.

Joyce placing her hand over his on her knee brought him out of his thoughts and he gave her a smile before reaching out to rub the pad of his thumb over her clit and through her dripping folds. Hopper watched her eyes drift closed at the contact and her lips part slightly as she sucked in a deep breath. He spent a few minutes just slowly sliding his thumb back and forth between her folds and around her clit, enjoying the facial expressions she'd make when he'd add more pressure with each pass.

Kissing the inside of her thigh, he shifted to lie on his stomach, not missing the tremble that traveled through her legs. Whether it from pleasure or nerves, he wasn't sure. Keeping his eyes locked on her face he carefully flicked his tongue against her clit, then lower to finally taste her.

"Hop, oh God…" Joyce moaned rather loud, causing his hips to flex against the bed as he continued to lick her, thankful in that moment he had paid attention in school when they were explaining the female anatomy.

Joyce's hand found its way into Hopper's hair, pulling on the strands when she felt him slowly sliding a finger inside of her while gently sucking on her small bundle of nerves. Going off the sounds she was making, Hopper continued to move his finger in and out of her, watching her chest rise and fall with quicker pants the closer she climbed toward her orgasm.

Carefully working in another finger, Hopper paused his movements and groaned against the inside of her thigh, feeling her tense at the intrusion. He held his hand still, giving her time to adjust to being stretched as he kept stimulating her with his tongue. She shifted her hips and allowed his fingers to slide out of her slightly, then back in again.

She was so tightly snug around his digits that he wasn't sure how he'd ever be able to have sex with her. He had pretty big hands, but two fingers unfortunately didn't compare to the size of what the good Lord blessed him with and he knew when the time came, it would be a challenge to make sure he didn't hurt her. Just the thought of being inside her was making his already painful erection dig into the bed beneath him.

Looking up Joyce's body when she let out a soft whimper, he found a perfect work of art. Her back was arched, needing to be closer to his mouth and her free hand was currently rolling one of her nipples between her fingers. The sight causing a spark of arousal to shoot through him all the way to his toes.

"Hop." Joyce moaned, making eye contact with him over the ridge of her hips. He replied with his tongue, giving her clit an incredibly slow lick as his fingers picked up their pace, wanting them to move at the same speed he imagined his hips would be.

"I need...I'm going to…" Hopper heard her suck in a breath, holding it for several seconds before her hips suddenly jerked and she started coming against his mouth. "Oh fuck Jim." She gasped, turning her head to muffle her cries into the pillow.

Hopper already had a hand on her hip when he anticipated her oncoming orgasm and held her down, wanting to work her through it with his tongue without the struggle of her moving. What he didn't anticipate was her use of his actual name or the fact that hearing it during a moment of pleasure was enough to make him do the one thing he'd been trying to avoid.

Hopper squeezed his eyes shut and groaned against her clit loudly when his own orgasm was suddenly ripped from his body, taking him completely by surprise. Never in his life did he think he'd be able to cum untouched, matter less from hearing someone say one simple word. Yet here he was, thrusting his hips against his bed and cuming in his boxers like a horny teenager having a wet dream.

When Joyce started to relax, Hopper slipped his fingers from her and wiped them on the sheet, kissing the inside of her thigh, then her hip, taking a minute to catch his breath. The high of his orgasm still hitting him in small burst.

Tugging on his hair caused him to shift uncomfortably, the stickiness in his boxers making him grimace as he moved to lay beside Joyce who was shaking and silently begging him to hold her. "You alright?" He asked, pulling her against his chest.

Joyce smiled and snuggled into the warmth of his skin. "More than alright." She murmured, her hand traveling down his side to hook her fingers into the waistband of his boxers.

Hopper quickly placed his hand over hers when she started trying to slide them over his hips.

"I want to make you feel good too Hop." She confessed, lifting her head to look at him confused, not understanding why he was trying to stop her.

"I um…" Hopper stammered, a blush suddenly burning his ears.

"You don't want me to touch you?" She whispered, not hiding the hurt she felt.

"No! I love it when you touch me...it's just that...well you were...you were rubbing on my face and it made me think of other things...and well then I..." He quickly mumbled out the rest of his sentence.

"Slow down." She instructs, moving to sit up on the bed as he takes a deep breath to steady himself. "What are you saying?"

"I was thinking about being inside you and then you said my name... and I came in my underwear like a thirteen year old, okay?" He huffed out before covering his face with his hands, feeling absolutely mortified.

Joyce leaned forward and gently pushed his hands out of the way to look at him. "There's no reason to be embarrassed Hop, because I was thinking about you being inside of me too."

Hopper sighed and kept a hold of her hand, avoiding her eyes as his blush traveled down his face and neck. "Difference is I was actually touching you Joyce...all you said was my name. I'm going to come in like two seconds when we finally have sex at this rate and its going to be terrible for you…"

"Hop." Joyce called, using her free hand to cup his cheek. "It's ok. We have forever to get it right if we mess up the first time...and as much as this seems to be bothering you, I find it somewhat flattering." She admitted, giving him a quick kiss. "Now go get cleaned up so we can go to sleep."

Hopper gave her one more kiss before walking over to his closet where he carefully removed his boxers and wiped himself off with the towel he'd used earlier that day after his shower. Not bothering with a new pair of underwear, he slipped on his sweatpants and smiled when he felt Joyce's arms wrap around him from behind.

Just as he was turning to pull her against him, he heard a thump from the room next to his and froze.

"Is that…" Joyce started, pausing when an even louder noise echoed through the wall, her eyes going wide. "Oh my God, are your parents...no…"

"Joyce stop talking." Hopper demanded and quickly shuffled them back to his bed, trying to distract himself from what was happening next door. Moving the covers to the side, he laid down and pulled her against him.

Joyce snuggled into his shoulder and giggled when an obvious moan filled the quiet room. "She totally called him chief."

"Jesus." Hopper groaned, covering his head with his pillow as the laughter coming from Joyce shook his entire body.

The parking lot of Hawkins High School was alive with new year spirit, along with the dread of having to come back to school after a two week break. Add in the lack of sleep both Joyce and Hopper we're feeling and you had a recipe for an excruciatingly long day.

"Is it too late to go back home? I don't think anyone from the staff lot has seen us yet." Joyce whined, always becoming an inconsolable child when she was tired.

"I wish honey. Besides I have wrestling this afternoon and if I miss a practice this close to a competition coach will have my ass. Let's just try to make the best of it."

Joyce met him at the front of his truck and instantly snuggled into his body as he placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Hey Jim." A high pitched feminine voice suddenly rang out from three spots down. Glancing up and to the right, Joyce caught sight of Erica Bailey, a girl whom she and Hopper had shared numerous classes with throughout their school years.

"Um morning Erica." Hopper said over his shoulder as he continued to walk, Joyce still safely tucked into his side. The warmth from the school hallway greeted them like an old friend as Joyce and Hopper made their way through the slightly crowded space and toward their lockers.

"All I'm saying is we could totally make a run for it." Joyce giggles, wanting nothing more than to climb back into a warm bed and rest her head on Hopper's chest.

"Sounds like you're getting a case of the senior blues." Hopper commented, quickly spinning his combination into the lock and tugging it down.

"Hop, what is that?" Joyce asked as his locker door swung open and a pink folded piece of paper tumbled and fell on top of the small shelf located inside.

Hopper quickly grabbed the paper and crumpled it in is fist, planning to throw it away as soon as he passed a trash can. "Nothing."

Ever since him and Chrissy had stopped talking, the entire female population of Hawkins High apparently thought Jim Hopper could potentially be theirs. Him and Joyce had been dating for at least two months now and he figured their constant hand holding in the hallways and make out sessions by his truck in the parking lot had been a dead giveaway that they were in a relationship. He'd even openly told several girls that kept bugging him that Joyce was his and he wasn't interested in anyone else. Being the most popular guy in school definitely had its perks, but it was also irritating when he couldn't go a single day without being harassed.

Joyce gave him a strange look when he tried to hide the obvious note and reached out to gently grab a hold of his wrist. "Why are you lying to me?" She asked, lifting his hand so he'd show her the piece of paper.

Hopper sighed and opened his fist. "Joyce I'm not lying to you, it really is nothing, at least to me it's nothing." Great, now she was going to be mad at him. Why couldn't everyone in that damn school just leave him alone?

When the piece of paper left his palm, he dropped his arm and leaned against his locker. "I just didn't want you to worry about things like this." He said as Joyce unfolded the note and started reading it.

The laugh that escaped her lips wasn't what he'd been expecting at all and raised his brow in confusion.

"I mean you do have a devilishly handsome face, that I'll agree with. But not so much Susan wanting to fuck you in her car after school." Joyce mocked, crumpling the paper back into a ball.

"Jesus Hop, relax." The look on his face made her roll her eyes playfully. "Did you forget that I've watched girls drool over you for years? They didn't stop trying to get into your pants with any of your other girlfriends, so I didn't really expect them to stop just because you're dating me now."

"You're not mad at me?" Hopper questioned, reaching out to brush her hair behind her ear.

Joyce smiled and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. "No, I'm not mad at you."

The five minute warning bell rang through the hallway and caused the student body to groan in unison. Hopper closed the door to his locker and took Joyce's hand, allowing himself to relax when he knew she wasn't angry with him.

"Come on, I'll walk you to class sweetheart."

Assholes. Complete assholes, every one of them. They all knew he was with Joyce. Hell, he flaunted their relationship every chance he got. But did they care? Absolutely not. The girls, not the women, the girls of Hawkins High School only saw one thing when it came to Jim Hopper, and that was the potential for a good lay. They didn't see the caring, sometimes infuriating man he and Joyce knew he was. For weeks now, ever since he stopped talking to Chrissy he had been throwing away lust filled notes, removing unwanted hands from his shoulders, and even shooing someone out of the bed of his truck. When were they going to learn that his love for Joyce wasn't going to go away?

Hopper glanced at the clock above the blackboard for the tenth time in thirty minutes. The craving for a cigarette and a kiss from Joyce were all he could think about throughout his frustrating algebra class and seconds before the bell rang signifying the end of class, he was already on his feet and out the door, needing to see her.

The gross food smell of the cafeteria smacked Joyce in the face as she walked toward her usual table in the far corner. She wouldn't admit it to Hopper, but the morning fiasco with the note from Susan had brought on a slight headache. Add being instructed to tutor the new kid named Lonnie in English, on top of her workload with classes and the yearbook, Joyce was coming close to her wits end. Everyone had told her that senior year would be the most difficult time in her academic life, and they hadn't been lying.

Joyce carefully unfolded the plastic wrapped sandwich she'd brought for lunch before digging in her bag for her headache pills. The feeling of hands on her shoulders made her jump, then the smell of Hopper's cologne surrounded her, causing her to relax into his touch.

"Rough day darlin?" He questioned as he glanced down at the bottle of pills in her hand.

"Just stressful. How about you huh? Had to fight off anymore stalkers?"

"Not since this morning, but I'm assuming-" Hopper hadn't even been able to finish his sentence before a folded scrap of paper came flying from the other end of the table, landing between the two of them. Before he could get the note in his hands, Joyce snatched it up and quickly unfolded it, feeling anger rising in her stomach. Yet another profession of love, this time from a girl named Savannah. Looking down the table, Joyce's eyes landed on the giggling girl who didn't even have the nerve to look mildly ashamed for messing with another woman's man. When Savannah made eye contact with her, Joyce grabbed Hopper's face and brought his lips to hers, staking a claim on her man in front of the whore down the table and anyone else who happened to be watching them.

When Joyce broke the kiss, she felt Hopper's hand caress her cheek.

"Grab your lunch Joy, after a kiss like that I need a cigarette." Hopper stood and shouldered Joyce's bookbag, then bringing his hand to use small of her back, he guided her through the cafeteria and out the back door.

With Hopper at wrestling practice for the next hour, Joyce decided to hide in the empty cafeteria to finish her homework, and if she had time, work on articles for the yearbook. They were already halfway through the year, which meant her deadline was quickly approaching, but now that she had a new camera she was almost positive everything would be finished on time.

That's what she thought anyway, until she opened her folder and felt that familiar pressure behind her eyes that signaled a headache coming on for the second time that day_._ At this rate she would never finish all the work that had piled up over their winter break and their first week back. Even when she had overworked herself to the point of exhaustion she never seemed to make a dent in the ever growing pile of assignments.

It had never crossed her mind before just how bad having headaches almost daily and sometimes twice a day, could severely impact the way she functioned and she was more than ready for them to just disappear completely. _Headaches could be a lasting side effect for several months. _The doctor had told her. Even more of a reason to hate her shitty father. He wasn't even there anymore and still found a way to cause her pain.

With a sigh, Joyce glanced at the clock and dropped her pencil, her head pounding. Rubbing her hands over her face, she finally gave in when her vision started to blur and packed up her things. Hopper would be done soon anyway and he'd be looking for her at her locker.

The walk back was quiet, the majority of teachers and students long gone. A nice change to the usual name calling or occasional shove she'd grown accustomed to. The torment she had endured for the last six years at least started to cool down now that her and Hopper were dating, but she still found herself hearing people whisper. Saying she was crazy and had been committed, or how Hopper was only dating her out of pity. She'd even heard that he was only dating her as a joke and everyone was laughing about it behind her back.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Joyce stopped at the water fountain and placed her bag on the floor to dig out her bottle of pills. She had just popped the top when a shadow appeared to her right and a hand slammed against the wall near her head.

"Well if it isn't the freak."

Joyce jumped at the sudden sound and watched as little white pills flew into the air and spilled out all over the floor. A laugh echoed through the hall and redirected her attention to the large form in front of her. Before she had a chance to fully take in what had happened, she was met with the glare of Benny Hammond. Which didn't make sense, Hopper and Benny had practice together, so why was this asshole standing here and not her boyfriend?

"So it is true." He said with a smirk, looking around at the mess she had made.

Joyce winced as the bright lights in the hall made her head hurt worse and brought her hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose, hoping to ease the pain a little.

Benny shook his head and stepped closer to her. "What's the matter loser? Doctor got you so doped up you forgot how to talk?"

Choosing not to respond, Joyce reached down for her bag, but was stopped when a hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Now wait just a minute. You're not leaving until you and I have a chat."

Joyce jerked her hand away from his grip and took a step back. "Don't touch me."

That only pissed Benny off more and he moved closer to her. "And what exactly are you going to do? Beat me up like you did Chrissy?"

Joyce didn't realise what was happening until the heels of her shoes made contact with the wall behind her and Benny's chest was almost pressing against her.

Benny clicked his tongue as he looked her up and down. "Now that I have your attention, I want to know how you did it."

Taking in a deep breath, Joyce squeezed her eyes shut to try and block out the pain, only to snap them open a second later when Benny's fist gripped the front of her shirt. The feeling of being trapped smothered her and she reached up to push against him.

Benny instantly smacked her hand away and jerked her forward. "Answer me dammit."

The quick movement made Joyce dizzy and she wrapped her fingers around his wrist to steady herself. "I don't know what you're talking about." She finally said, pulling on his arm.

His grip tightened, not at all phased by her attempt to remove him. "You beat up the most popular girl in school, then stole her boyfriend. Please explain to me how someone like you managed to get the attention of someone like Jim?"

"Why do you care?" Joyce spat. Not at all sure where this new found courage was coming from.

Benny raised his brow and grit his teeth. "Because he's my best friend! And ever since they shipped you off to looney bin, he's completely ditched everyone." He paused for a minute to look at Joyce in disgust. "I'm just having a really hard time figuring out what the hell he sees in you. Are you hiding something under these stupid fucking clothes?"

When Joyce felt his free hand grab the lower part of her sweater and start pulling it up, she shoved him as hard as she could against his chest, making him lose his grip and stumble slightly. "I said don't fucking touch me!" She screamed. Releasing every bit of anger and anxiety she was currently feeling. She knew she could never take Benny in a fight, he was double her weight easily, but she'd be damned if she was going down this road again. It was bad enough all the shit she had gone through with Travis, she didn't need it from some crazy teenaged boy either. She could handle the insults, the nasty notes and the occasional shove, but not this.

Benny growled when he lost his footing, surprised someone as small as her was able to temporarily over power him. "I like when girls play hard to get." He winked, reaching for her hip. When Joyce started yelling again he was quick to put his hand over her mouth, shoving her head back against the wall. "Shut the fuck up!" He whispered harshly, scanning the hallway to make sure no one heard them.

Panic rose in Joyce when Benny's palm touched her lips and she jerked her head to the side, slipping away just enough to speak through her panic. "Get off of-"

"Stop screaming you psycho, Jesus." When Joyce dug her nails into Benny's wrist he shoved her away with such a forced she tripped over her bag and hit the ground with a loud smack.

Joyce groaned and rolled onto her side, holding her ribs. The impact bringing back something she hadn't felt since the day Travis put her in the hospital.

Blinking, Joyce tried to focus on the large hand currently reaching out for her, but failed to keep her eyes open when the pain in her head started reaching the point of making her sick again.

Hopper internally sighed when his coach pulled him into his office after practice to discuss the plans for their upcoming tournament that Friday night. He loved wrestling, he also loved being the captain, but right then he found himself getting irritated the longer his coach talked about the same thing he'd heard a million times. All he wanted to do was go home and relax with Joyce cuddled in his arms.

Grabbing his jacket, Hopper practically ran out of the gym when he was free to go and headed toward Joyce's locker. When he turned the corner he was met with a scream, a scream that made his blood run cold.

Joyce was currently on the floor under a much larger person he didn't recognize at first until they lifted their head and a heat of anger rose in his chest when he saw Benny. The fact that someone who was supposed to be his friend was holding his girlfriend's wrist above her head and trying to cover her mouth while she yelled at him to stop, caused him to snap.

Hopper grabbed Benny around his torso and jerked him to stand up straight, pulling him away from Joyce who quickly scrambled to her feet.

"You son of a bitch!" Jim yelled, spinning Benny around to send his fist crashing into his left eye. Other than Travis, he had never wanted to kill someone so bad in his entire life and the fact he felt completely numb in that moment was terrifying. He couldn't hear Joyce calling his name from behind him, he didn't feel Benny's knuckles making contact with his jaw when he managed to get a hit in, and he definitely didn't notice the pain he was sure to feel later in his hands as he continued to beat the shit out of the now limp body in front of him.

A small hand on his shoulder jerked him back to reality and he turned to meet Joyce's eyes, softening almost instantly.

"Shit, Joyce...I…" He stuttered trying to calm down from the adrenaline currently flowing through him, feeling guilty he had neglected to make sure she was alright before taking his anger out on Benny. "Are you hurt?" He asked, reaching out to cup her cheeks, not caring he had smeared blood across her skin.

Joyce shook her head even though her ribs hurt and her head still felt like it was going to explode. She didn't need him stressing even more when she could feel him practically shaking through his fingertips.

"What the hell Jim?" Benny wheezed from where he was sitting on the floor against a row of lockers holding his face. With a groan he turned to spit before pushing himself to stand, sending bright red blood splashing against Hopper's shoes.

Joyce watched as Hopper's features fell when he looked at his feet and she quickly fisted her fingers into the side of his coat, making sure to keep him close to her. As much as she wanted the asshole to get what he deserved, she didn't want Hopper to get in trouble, or hurt for that matter. She could already see his lip bleeding.

Biting his tongue, Hopper took in a deep breath and focused his attention back on Joyce, noticing then how she was squinting and holding her side. "I thought you said you were ok?"

"Jim!" Benny's loud voice echoed behind them, causing Joyce to flinch at the noise.

Hopper growled, trying his hardest to stay calm. "What the fuck is your problem Benny?" He questioned, his anger still bubbling.

"So this is it?" Benny started, adjusting his leather jacket as he approached them. "You're just going to ditch all of your friends and start fucking the trash of Hawkins?" He asked with a laugh, wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve.

Hopper moved to push Joyce behind him, placing himself between her and Benny. "Joyce was my friend before I even knew you." He said, poking Benny in the chest. "And she would have been my girlfriend long before now if it weren't for assholes like you."

Benny slapped at Hopper's hand and glared. "Bullshit!"

Hopper raised his eyebrow. "Remember two summers ago when I had the flu and couldn't go to the beach? I spent the entire time camping with Joyce. That music festival in June? We spent the afternoon at the zoo trying to get the perfect shot of the new penguin exhibit." Hopper ranted, hating how everyone assumed him and Joyce had just started talking.

"Or do you remember when everyone went to see Lord of The Flies and I said I was too chicken to go? Wasn't the case Benny, Joyce wanted to see it and we skipped school so we could enjoy it without you shitheads gawking or interrupting us." Hopper reached into his back pocket, pulling out his brown leather wallet. Searching between a few dollar bills, and random receipts, Hopper found what he was looking for. Pulling out a tattered photograph of him and Joyce, he put it in Benny's face.

"She's been my best friend for years. You claim that I was yours? You don't know a fucking thing about me or who I really am. She does." Hopper wrapped his arm around Joyce and pulled her into his side.

"If you ever lay a hand on her again or even look in her direction, I'll fucking kill you." Hopper warned and reached down to grab Joyce's bag from the floor.

"Come on honey, let's go home." Threading his fingers with Joyce's, Hopper turned to look back at Benny, wishing once again in a short time frame that he wasn't such a peaceful person.

When they rounded the corner, Joyce suddenly stopped when she remembered she had dropped her pills. "Hop wait...my medicine." The throbbing behind her eyes was becoming unbearable and the hint of nausea she had been feeling before was starting to return.

Hopper hadn't missed seeing the little white pills spilled everywhere when he'd been hitting Benny, but he wasn't about to let her take one off the floor after it had been touching God knows what. "You have another bottle at home, will you be ok until we get back to the farm?" He asked, frowning when he saw her still clutching her side and starting to pale.

Joyce gave him a nod and swallowed, allowing him to guide her through the school and out to his truck as quickly as possible.


	15. Chapter 15

The ride home was quiet, Hopper afraid to make a sound as Joyce struggled to not puke in his floorboards. She was curled up in the seat against his side, her knees drawn to her chest with her forehead flat against the top of them. His hand gently caressed up and down her right arm, trying to ease her pain the only way he could while still holding onto the steering wheel.

Carefully avoiding the potholes throughout the gravel driveway to the house, Hopper kissed her temple and parked in his normal spot beside his mother's car. He jumped slightly when Joyce quickly moved from his arms and out of the passenger door to throw up in a bush beside the front porch.

Hopper left their bags in his truck and moved to stand behind her, his hand going for her hair to move it out of her face. A sob suddenly left her lips as she leaned forward, placing her hands on her knees to throw up again. He'd see her sick before because of her headaches, but never to the point it had made her start crying and it broke his heart to see her that way.

"Joyce?" He called, rubbing her back with his free hand. "Let's go inside so you can lay down."

Joyce roughly wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her coat and pulled away from his touch, frustrated that her headaches weren't getting any better and frustrated that she'd gotten hurt again when she'd been almost completely healed from when Travis had beaten her. Now her ribs were screaming with every move she made and she didn't want Hopper to worry if he noticed the amount of pain she was in.

Steadily making her way inside, Joyce kicked her shoes off by the front door and silently headed toward the living room to lay down on the couch, Hopper following close behind. She grabbed a blanket that was slung over the arm and pulled it over her head to block out the light in the room, along with hiding her face as she continued to cry. Joyce never asked for anything, always accepting what life threw her way, but right then she was begging any higher power to just bring her a bit of peace. One would think she'd grown used to the constant pain she felt growing up, that she was used to the rejection of society since she brushed it off any chance she got, but that was far from the truth. It still hurt. She was still a human being and she still had very real feelings. No one ever gets 'used' to constant pain or rejection, they just learn a different way of living to get through to the next day, and right then the weight she carried most of her life was taking its toll and she hadn't meant to be short with Hopper when he'd only been trying to help. She just needed a minute to cry out the stress she was currently feeling, along with the frustrating headache that was making her want to roll over and die just to ease the tension at the base of her skull.

Hopper stood quietly beside the couch as he watched Joyce's small body start shaking, feeling completely helpless. "What do you want me to do sweetheart?" Making sure to keep his voice low, he carefully touched her side, only to pull his hand away when she groaned and placed her own over the same spot.

"Just leave me alone," Joyce mumbled through the blanket that was still over her head.

Hopper frowned but didn't take her rejection personal. He knew she didn't feel good and his hovering would only make it worse if he kept pestering her. With a sigh, he went into the kitchen and opened the cabinet where they kept her extra bottle of pills. Filling a glass with water he made his way back into the living room and placed the glass and bottle on the coffee table beside the couch.

"At least take your medicine so you can start feeling better." Hopper watched as she uncovered herself with an irritated look and quickly swallowed the pill. As she buried her face against the back of the couch, Hopper went to close the blinds and turned off the lamp that always stayed lit in the corner of the room before taking the pill bottle back into the kitchen.

The sound of footsteps approaching alerted Hopper that he wasn't alone anymore. The footsteps were too heavy to be Joyce's, but too light to belong to his father. That left one person besides himself in the house.

"Oh good, you're home from practice honey. I was going to ask if you could... Jim, what the hell happened?" Mary's voice raised in alarm as she crossed the kitchen and placed her hands on her son's cheeks, trying to get a better look at the damage over their height difference.

"It's nothing mom, just had a small fight at school." Hopper sighed, trying to remove his face from her hold and make his way up the stairs.

"James Kenneth Hopper you sit down right now and let me look at your face!" Mary practically shouts from her spot in front of him. The use of his full name, along with the tone of her voice made him stop in his tracks and grumble.

"Alright, alright keep your voice down though, Joyce has a migraine." Hopper grudgingly walks over to the kitchen table where he pulls a chair out and flops down into the seat. Mary's hands are back on his face in seconds trying to gauge the damage that was done.

"You have dried blood everywhere Jim." She sighed. Hopper hung his head back as he listened to the sound of a drawer being opened, followed by the sound of running water. Once the water is off, she's back in front of him wiping at his busted lip with a wet washcloth. Hopper does his best not to wince at the sting that's coming from the cut and his mother's prodding.

"You going to tell me what happened or do I have to drag it out of you?" Mary asked, folding the washcloth as she tried to find a place that wasn't already covered in dry blood.

"It's nothing mom."

"Yeah, you said the same thing when we asked you about Travis. So why don't you tell me how much of nothing it really is?" Mary snapped as she none too gently moved to wipe at the cut threading through Hopper's eyebrow

"I was going to meet Joyce after practice at her locker and when I got there I found Benny on top of her holding her down."

"Benny, as in your friend Benny?" She questioned, moving to the sink to rinse the blood from the cloth.

"Ex-friend. He had her pinned to the ground and she was screaming for him to get off of her. I just snapped."

"Why was he pinning her on the ground?" Mary questioned, alarm once again sounding in her voice.

"Something about wanting to know how she got me to fall in love with her and how she was the reason I had abandoned all my other friends or some shit." Hopper stated, ready for the scolding he was going to get for cursing in the house. Mary looked down at him, but let the scolding die in her throat at the sight of his swollen eye.

"He didn't hit her did he?" Mary asked, unable to hold back the worry in her voice this time.

"I'm not sure, she hasn't said much with her head acting the way it is. Honestly, all I know is that he was on top of her and it made me so mad I couldn't see straight. I wanted to tear his arms off of his body and shove them down his throat."

Hopper didn't miss the smile that crossed his mother's lips at the mention of ripping off Benny's arms.

"What's so funny?"

"The fact that you're ready to dismember someone in order to protect Joyce. It's just shows how much she means to you"

"Of course she means a lot to me, I love her." He met her eyes when she stopped wiping at his face.

"I know you do honey and It doesn't look like he got too many hits in." She commented, the feeling of pride flaring up in her chest at the thought of her son protecting what was his.

"Pfft, he got like maybe two in. I don't even know how many times I hit him. If Joyce hadn't of pulled me off, I don't know what would have happened."

Hopper reached out for the washcloth in Mary's hands, wanting to wipe Benny's blood from his knuckles.

"Well I'm proud of you for sticking up for her. And don't worry about what your dad is going to think because I know he's going to say the same thing. Now, finish cleaning your hands while I go make sure she's okay." Mary placed two light smacks to Jim's cheeks and giggled internally as he slightly winced. Her boy was a fighter that was for sure. Just like his father.

Mary quietly made her way into the dark living room. Judging the space by memory, so she wouldn't have to turn on a light, or stub her toe in the process. Joyce was still on the couch, her back to the room. The blanket she had been hiding under had ridden down to let the top of her head peek out from its cotton confines and Mary noted her slow, and even breathing, along with the glass of water still on the coffee table. Her meds had hopefully kicked in and knocked her out for the next few hours at least.

Mary watched Joyce with a fascination only a mother could have. Counting her breaths, listening to the way she exhaled, even glancing at her foot when it twitched every so often. She knew the girl on the couch was the baby girl she had always wanted. Even if Joyce hadn't come from her body, she knew she was hers and the thought of Linda trying to take her girl away from her left a sour, dry, taste in Mary's mouth. Hell, what would happen to Jim if Linda was able to miraculously obtain custody? If they thought Jim was protective of Joyce now, there would be no holding him back from what he may do when Linda showed up to take Joyce towns away.

Shaking the thought out of her head for now, Mary reached down and covered Joyce's shoulders with the blanket. She knew Joyce was going to be out for the next several hours and would have Jim carry her upstairs and put her to bed once they had finished supper. Walking back toward the hallway, Mary gave Joyce one last look over her shoulders, before softly closing the door, and hiding her second child in a blanket of darkness.

The sounds of talking caught Mary's attention as she rounded the corner into the kitchen. Greg was standing beside Jim, patting him on the back with a mischievous grin on his face.

"You did the right thing son, showed that asshole not to mess with the two of you." Mary heard him chuckle. When Greg looked up at the sound of her footsteps, he smiled and moved to place a kiss on her lips.

"Hey, honey. How was your day?" Mary questioned as her hands found their way around the back of Greg's neck.

"Same thing, different day. How about you darlin'? Anything I can help you with for supper?" Greg asked as his hands found his wife's hips.

"I was just thinking we could grab something from the diner tonight, we've all had a busy day and I'm just ready to relax." Mary suggested, her hands moving down to Greg's chest.

"Well alrighty then, I'm going to go take a shower. Mom, can you get my usual, please? And I guess, holler when you get back from picking it up _Chief." _Hopper emphasized the last word, making little moans of joy as he walked away.

"Guess we were a little loud the other night." Mary giggled as she placed her head on Greg's chest.

" He'll be alright, wait until their kids hear them nakie rasslin'." Greg rubbed his hips against Mary's making her laugh out loud.

"You mean the horizontal tango?"

"The Hanky Panky?"

Greg and Mary both erupted in laughter until they couldn't breathe.

"Come on cowboy, I'm hungry and I'm sure Patsy's is going to be busy." Mary instructed, grabbing a menu out of one of the many drawers in the kitchen.

The smell of the boy's locker room felt like it was choking Hopper as he sat in front of Coach Erickson. Benny was sitting beside him on the right. Neither of them had spoken a word since the coach had called a meeting with them after the first period of the day. Now he stood in front of them, hands on his hips, waiting for the two teens to explain themselves.

"Either of you two shit heads going to talk or do I have to make you do laps until your legs fall off?"

"Benny was touching what didn't belong to him so I had to set him straight." Was all the information Hopper would give up. Jim knew that Benny could be an asshole, especially when he didn't get his way, but he was a good kid, and he didn't want to say anything that could jeopardize the wrestling scholarship he had to Indiana State University in the fall.

"That true Hammond?"

Benny hung his head, not wanting the coach to see how much of a beating he had taken from Jim. "Yes, Sir."

"Well, I expect you to keep your hands to yourself from now on. As for the both of you, I don't give a flying monkey's ass about your personal beef with each other. But until that championship match passes next Friday you two will be the best of friends, is that understood?"

"Yes sir," Both Hopper and Benny said in unison.

"What did your coach say?" Joyce questioned as Hopper sat down beside her at the lunch table, kicking his feet up across the bars under it.

"Pretty much what I expected him to say, for us to get our shit together until after the match, then we can go back to hating each other. He also told Benny to keep his hands to himself so that's a plus. But how are you? You feeling any better?"

"Slightly, my head doesn't feel like a drum in the marching band at the moment if that's what you mean."

"Good, I'm glad you meds are working." Hopper sat up straight in his seat, wanting to feel her close to him. He reached out, placing his hand on her side and pulled her towards him. The painful gasp she let out caught not only his attention, but the attention of the students sitting close to their table and quickly let her go.

"Joyce whats wrong?" He whispered, not wanting to give the nosey teenagers close to them fuel for their gossip fires.

"It's nothing Hop. my ribs just hurt from-"

"Where Benny was holding you down?" He finished her sentence, a look of pure anger on his face.

"It's really nothing Hop, please just leave it." Joyce begged, pulling away from him to sit up straight once more.

"I'm going to look at it when we get home and if I think it needs to be wrapped promise you'll let me." He begged, not moving his gaze from her face. When he gave her those puppy dog eyes she couldn't deny him anything.

"I promise, let's just make it through the rest of the day and as soon as we get home you can look okay?"

This seemed to make Hopper relax slightly. Turning so his stomach brushed the lunch table, he dug into his backpack for the brown paper bag filled with food he knew he needed to eat, but felt like he couldn't. She had been hurt once again because of him and it felt like a never ending cycle with them. He promised to keep her safe and sound, and he kept breaking that promise. Joyce's hand on his thigh brought him out of his dark thoughts and he gently wrapped his much larger hand around hers as they both attempted to eat their lunch.

Mary had no clue what she was doing. She had driven the two hours from the farm to a small town, which was saying something when you grew up in Hawkins Indiana. The downtown area consisted of a post office, grocery store, hair salon, a garage, and a church. Beyond those few buildings it was nothing but fields upon fields of crops, with a house scattered here and there. She knew she probably shouldn't be here, be doing this, but dammit she felt useless when it came to everything that was going on with the trial, and Mary Hopper isn't someone who was used to feeling useless.

Pulling in front of the rather luxurious house, she was baffled about how a small town preacher could afford something like this. _He must have impeccable credit, or he came from family money_ she thought to herself as she grabbed her rearview mirror to check her hair and minimal makeup once again. She wasn't wearing what she thought they would approve of, just her normal jeans and a nice top she had stashed in her closet for important events. Climbing out of her car, Mary straightened her outfit once more before making her way down the sidewalk that sat between the pristinely manicured lawn. The front porch of the home dawned small snowman nic nacs left over from the holidays. If she didn't have a distaste for the woman, she would have even said that her home was adorable. However, Mary wasn't here to discuss home management and the weather. She was here to talk about her daughter.

Knocking three times on the front door, Mary took a step back, making sure her breathing was even and confident, something Joyce had taught her to do when she was feeling overwhelmed when a recipe wasn't turning out like she had planned. The door opening brought her out of her head and Mary was looking into the face of a kind man around Greg's age.

"Hello, how can I help you miss?" The man asked, smiling down at Mary as if this sort of thing happened all the time.

"Hello, My name is Mary Hopper and I was wanting to speak to Linda please." She answered sweetly.

The man looked her up and down and then smiled, opening the front door of his house to usher her inside.

"Of course, Linda is in the kitchen. Thats where she usually is when the boys are in school. I'm David by the way, David Carmichael, Linda's husband. It's so nice to meet you." He held out his hand to Mary, who took it quickly in hers. His hands were soft she noted, not like her husband's or her son's who were rough with work from both the station and the farm. She didn't like the way his palms felt against hers so she quickly let go as he turned to lead her through the house.

The walls were painted a bright yellow color, allowing the natural light from the windows to brighten up the home. She followed David down a long hallway which turned into a big, open, kitchen. Linda was standing at the sink, elbow deep in dish soap as she washed whatever dishes had been left from that afternoon's lunch. David cleared his throat, getting Linda's attention. She turned toward the sound of her husband, a smile on her face until her eyes focused on Mary standing behind him.

"Linda, you have a guest, this is Mary Hopper, I assumed she was the new member of the garden club you had spoken about the past few weeks." David smiled, looking between his wife and their guest. Mary noticed the quick flash of worry that shot through Linda's eyes which the woman schooled within seconds. _Ahh that old habit of bullshitting just kicked in_ Mary thought as she approached Linda, reaching for her bubble covered fingers.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you in person Linda! I felt bad for missing the last meeting, but you know how it is, I had to take care of my daughter, she was really sick and needed her mama." Mary laughed, moving her hands from Linda's and wiping them on the thighs of her jeans.

"Oh not a problem darlin', I know how it is taking care of a sick child. Would you like something to drink? We can sit for a bit and talk about what you missed at the meeting." Linda smiled, reaching for a dish towel to dry her own hands on. Content that the pleasantries were out of the way, David stepped toward Linda, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"I'll be working on my sermon in the study if you two ladies need anything. Mary, it was a pleasure meeting you. I can't wait to see how your garden turns out this spring." He smiled and turned toward the hallway, disappearing from sight. Linda waited until she heard the door of David's study close before she planted her eyes on Mary once more.

"What in God's name are you doing here!?" She hissed, throwing her dish towel on the counter behind her.

"We need to talk about Joyce." Mary deadpanned, tired of the fakeness that seemed to be overflowing from this house and from Linda herself.

"There is nothing to discuss! I am filing for custody over my daughter and she will be moved from that horrible town and into our house were she will be brought into the light of the lord and away from the trash that has been bestowed upon her." Linda snapped, going to the counter and grabbing two glasses from within. Mary watched as she filled them both with tea from the fridge before sitting them down on the table. _She's making sure everything looks right incase David comes back. Smart. _

"There is more to it and you know it Linda. Joyce is her own woman and she always has been. Do you honestly think that if you get custody over her that she is going to stay here with you? You abandoned her, left her with Travis who abused her for years, tried to rape her. She would be on the run the moment you go to sleep the first night. Not to mention, what in the hell are you planning on telling David? That she's just some troubled teen runaway that you feel the Lord put in your path to try and help?" Mary accused, standing up to her full height of 5'6, standing at least four inches taller than Linda. _Well we know where Joyce's smallness came from._

"That's exactly what I'm going to tell him, because that's the truth! She is a helpless teenager who has come back into my path because she needs me!"

"No she needed you when she was six. She needed you when Travis knocked one of her baby teeth out of her mouth, or when he broke her nose, beat her with a belt until her ribs fractured. She needed you to be the protective mother you should have been, but she doesn't need you now because she has me. She has Greg, and most of all she has my son." Mary tried to control the anger that was rising in her stomach. Never in her life had she met such an insufferable woman.

"Your son is only going to defile her if it hasn't happened already." Linda snapped, pointing her finger at Mary. "You let them run around as if they are soul mates that have been together for years!"

"They are soul mates, they have been since they were three. You don't see it because you weren't there to watch them grow! You didn't see Joyce cheering him on at his softball games, you didn't see Jim putting bandaids on the palms of her hands when she fell and scraped them. You didn't see them falling in love like I did Linda because you weren't there! You were here, playing house with your preacher husband and taking care of your sons instead of being there for your daughter. You abandoned her like she was a diseased calf and i'm not going to let it happen to her again!" Mary reached into her back pocket, drawing out several folded pieces of paper, and handed them to Linda.

"You're not the only one who has friends in high places. These are custody papers. For Greg and I to gain full custody over Joyce until she turns 18. You sign these and I get back in my car, go back to Hawkins and you don't hear another word from me for as long as I live."

Linda looked down at the papers in her hands, anger flashing in her eyes.

"And what if i refuse? You don't have a leg to stand on." She hissed.

"You see that's where you're wrong Linda. I know every dark little secret you've ever had. My husband is the chief of police remember? He has all the records of your possession charges, shoplifting, and of course who can forget that mustang you hijacked?" Mary reached into the purse that was slung over her shoulder, bringing out a folded manilla folder about two inches thick.

"I have proof of everything you did before leaving Hawkins, the shit you did out in Vegas before you found God and met David. I have everything to do with the case with Joyce. It's all right here in black and white about how you left your daughter with a man who had not only beat you, but had hit her as well. How you left in a drugged out haze and never came back for her. How do you think David is going to feel when the woman who he worships is just another drugged out whore who now thinks her ticket into heaven is dependent on her getting the daughter she abandoned to find god? Sign the damn papers. It grants us full custody over Joyce until she is 18. It says that you will not have any contact with her until she is a legal adult and is actually willing to talk to you. You sign those papers and this little folder here gets put back in Greg's gun safe at the house. You don't, and they go right down the hallway to David's hands."

The two women stood at a stand still, Mary with her hands securely on the folder that was Joyce's livelihood, and Linda with her hands full of her ticket out. Tired of waiting, Mary took a step toward the hallway. Her feet hadn't left the linilium of the kitchen before she felt Linda's touch on her elbow.

"You know you're a real bitch right?" Linda angrily whispered as she moved toward the table in the kitchen.

"Takes one to know one Linda." Mary snipped, handing the women across from her a pen.

"Sign where everything is marked and I will be out of here in seconds."

Linda didn't even read what she was signing, just scribbled her name down and dated. When the last page had been signed, she practically threw the papers at Mary who caught them with ease. Glancing over them to make sure all the I's were dotted, Mary finally looked up at the whore by her side and gave her shit eating grin.

"Thank you for your cooperation Linda. And by the way, you're watering your houseplants too much, that's why they are the light brown color instead of bright green."

"Get the fuck out of my house!" Linda snarled as she followed Mary down the hallway and out onto the front porch. Mary laughed at the sound of a slamming door as she climbed into the driver's seat of her car, a feeling of triumph radiating off of her. Looking down at the clock she saw it was nearly five thirty. Hopefully her small family could survive without her for the next few hours while she fought traffic to get home.

As soon as Hopper set his school books on top of his dresser he was making his way over to Joyce who was sitting on the edge of their bed pulling off her socks. "Lift your shirt."

Joyce huffed at his impatience and tossed her socks across the room toward the hamper by the closet, missing one and making the other. "I promise you it's not a big deal Hop."

"Then prove it." When Hopper stood directly in front of her and placed his hands on his hips Joyce rolled her eyes and lifted her shirt to where it stopped just below her bra. Since they had to leave the bedroom door open now she didn't feel comfortable completely removing her shirt.

Joyce hadn't said much about Benny since the incident, which wasn't out of the ordinary when it came to her and sharing a traumatic event in her life, and had she not been suffering from a migraine right after it happened, Hopper would have remembered to make sure she was alright before going to sleep that night. There's no telling how long she would have kept it hidden had he not grabbed her at lunch.

Crouching to get a better look when her side was finally exposed, Hopper reached out to lightly drift his fingertips across a very faint bruise near the lower part of her ribs to make sure nothing was broken. "It doesn't look too bad, but I still want to wrap them just in case, okay?" The break from Travis had only just healed and he was afraid she may have damaged more than he could tell just from touching her.

Joyce grumbled under her breath and watched him go retrieve the wrap she had previously been wearing a few weeks ago.

"Did Benny hit you?" Hopper suddenly asked when he returned to stand in front of her again, trying his best to keep his voice level so she wouldn't pick up on the anger he was still feeling over the entire thing.

Joyce continued to hold her shirt up so he could stretch the cotton and carefully start pulling the wrap around her. "He just grabbed me. This is from when he shoved me away and I tripped."

Being reminded of what that bastard did just pissed him off more and he rubbed his hands over the thighs of his jeans to stay calm. "You promise you're not hurt anywhere else?"

Joyce watched as he grew more agitated and reached out to take his hand, pulling him to sit beside her on the bed. "I promise. Really I'm okay." Her headaches were more upsetting to her than some bully she'd been dealing with for years. The pain in her ribs didn't even compare to the frustration her migraines caused.

"I'm sorry." Hopper started before placing a hand on her cheek. "I just wish I could do more. I'm tired of people always hurting you."

"You do more than you think." She assured him, lifting her head slightly to give him a quick kiss. The fact that he loved her was more than she could ever ask for.

"Hop, where are we going?" Joyce questioned as he ushered her into the cab of his truck. He hands her a thermos of Hot Chocolate before closing her door and rushing around to the driver's side.

"It's a surprise, but I promise you're going to love it." He laughed, cranking the truck and backing out of his parking spot. Instead of heading toward the main road however, he turns his truck to the right, heading down one of the many work trails that are used when they are working out in the horse pastures. The trip is slightly rough, causing Joyce to bounce around the cab. She's thankful that the lid to the thermos is sealed, otherwise she would have a lap full of hot chocolate. It's dark out in the field, the only lights coming from Hopper's headlights, and the stars in the sky. When he stops and puts the truck in park, Joyce is looking out her window.

"Hopper, we're in the middle of the east pasture. What the hell are we doing out here?" Joyce once again questioned, glancing at the excited man beside her.

"Just give me a few minutes and I promise I'll explain everything, just close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you." Joyce makes a show of covering her eyes with the sleeves of her oversized sweater and listens for him to move. He's out of the truck in seconds, and once he closes his door, she can't hear anything outside of the cab with the exception of the tailgate lowering on the truck. She sits in the cab for what seems like forever until he finally opens her door.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now." He says, holding his right hand out to her, while his left is holding a flashlight.

"Hop, you know I don't like being out in the dark like this." She whines, trying not to let the uneasiness she feels in her chest get the best of her.

"I'm right here honey, nothing is going to happen to you." He laughs, placing his hand at the small of her back and guiding her to the bed of his truck. Hopper picks her up and can't help but smile when she lets out a startled shriek before he sits her down on his tailgate.

"Look behind you Joy." He instructs, as he moves to stand by her side. Turning around, Joyce is met with a truck bed full of pillows, one massive sleeping bag, and she doesn't even know how many blankets.

"So there is supposed to be this huge meteor shower tonight and I thought that maybe you would like to watch it with me." The sentence wasn't even out of his mouth before Joyce was crawling further into the bed of the truck, her ass swaying in front of him. He watched as she adjusted pillows behind her back and started bringing blankets on top of her.

"Well come on!" She laughs patting the empty spot beside her.

"Hold on, we left the hot chocolate in the cab." He runs to the driver side, grabs the thermos and turns off the headlights before he's climbing on the tire and throwing his leg over the edge of the truck. Finally, he is snuggled in beside Joyce, careful of her newly wrapped ribs. When she placed her head on his shoulder, Hopper let out a content sigh.

Even with the cold chill of the wind, the two teens were warm and secure within the confines of the sleeping bags and blankets.

The stars had already started rocketing across the sky, leaving quick trails of receding light through the darkness. It was peaceful for both of them. Just having Joyce at his side calmed a wake of aggression that Hopper couldn't seem to find a way out of these past few days. Nothing he did seemed to be good enough for anyone, excluding Joyce. She practically worshipped the ground he walked on.

"I'm sorry about all the girls at school. I don't know why they can't understand that I don't want anything to do with them. That you and I are going to be together until the world ends."

"Yeah I know Hop. It's like unless they see some kind of brand on you, they think you're fair game."

Joyce snuggled back into his side and breathed in the scent of his cologne. It was something she had always found solace in. The smell of him meant safety, warmth, and love. Her mind wandered into far off places as they watched the stars shoot out across the sky and out of nowhere a thought filled Joyce's head. She hurriedly threw the blankets off of her, exposing herself to the cold and quickly placed her legs on either side of Hopper's thighs, sitting perfectly on top of him.

"Joyce be careful, your ribs-"

"They will be perfectly fine. I know my limitations Jim." The sound of her using his real name sent goosebumps down his arms and when she gently nudged his jaw upwards, Hopper happily complied. His hands soon found the curve of her hips, his thumbs tracing small circles where they could reach. The feel of her tongue lapping against his throat was making all the blood in his body travel south and he couldn't help the moan that escaped his throat when she gently bit down on his neck.

"Joy...You're killing me..." He called, pushing her hips so her center ground down onto him. He wanted nothing more than to be inside her when a moan of her own escaped her lips. Hopper gasped as she began to suck at his neck hard enough to bring what little blood he had left not flooding his erection to the surface of his skin. He knew she was marking him. Setting a claim to anyone and everyone that he was hers. Joyce's hands threaded into his hair, taking away what little control Hopper had left as she gave his neck one last bite before pulling away.

"You're mine James Hopper." She voiced looking down into his lust blown eyes.

"I'm yours Joyce. Only yours."


	16. Chapter 16

A knock from their cracked bedroom door made Joyce and Hopper bring their noses out of their homework. Greg was standing in the doorframe looking down at the two teenagers who seemed to be the center of attention for both his home and work life.

"You guys busy?" He questioned, noticing the books and papers scattered along the bed between the two.

"Not really, just finishing up some homework. Everything okay?" Hopper wondered, closing the dreaded algebra book in his lap and giving his full attention to his father.

"If y'all have a second can you come down to the kitchen for a family meeting? There's a few things we need to discuss." Greg watched as Jim stood from his bed and adjusted the shoulders of his flannel, the sight of a hickey on his son's neck making him grin. He had expected it. Both Jim and Joyce we're young. Hell, he could remember Mary leaving several on him when they were back in high school.

"Might want to adjust your collar, son." Greg laughed, tapping his own neck. He didn't miss Jim's ears starting to turn red as he turned from the doorway and headed back down to the kitchen.

Mary was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in her hand and a manilla folder resting in the center of the worn, brown, surface of the table they had received as a wedding gift from Greg's parents.

"They coming down?" Mary questioned, rotating the coffee mug in her hands. She was nervous for the first time since she could remember.

"Yeah, they're putting up their schoolwork first." Greg reached out and placed his hand on hers to help calm her nerves.

"It's going to be alright pumpkin. She might have to get used to the idea, but we've been taking care of her for years. Nothing is going to change I promise." The sound of feet coming down the stairs alerted them to the kid's presence and Greg gave Mary's hand one last reassuring squeeze before moving to the coffee pot to make himself a cup. The teens both sat down at the table and Mary smiled when she saw Jim put his arm over Joyce's shoulder. He was protective, just like his father.

Once Greg returned to the table, Jim was the first to speak. "So what's going on? Both of you are awfully quiet."

"Well, we have some news that concerns Joyce and the case," Greg stated, blowing into his coffee mug before taking a sip.

Both Joyce and Jim sat up straighter, neither of them sure if they wanted to hear what Greg and Mary had to say. Mary opened the folder and slid it in front of the teens, watching as Joyce pulled it closer to them and began to read. Mary and Greg held their breath for a few seconds before Joyce looked up at them.

"She signed her rights away? That means she can't take me? She can't make me leave?"

"That's right honey. No one can make you leave, but you know you're free to go whenever you want to." Greg stated, standing up and walking around the table.

"This section here states that Mary and I have temporary custody over you until your birthday. Then you will be a legal adult in charge of yourself. This section right here..." Greg turned the page. "States that Linda will not try to contact you. But it has her information in case you want to contact her."

Joyce sat in silence and read through the remainder of the pages not entirely sure how to feel.

"You alright Joy?" Hopper asked, moving to rub her back.

"I don't know honestly...I'm so relieved that she won't be able to make me leave, she won't be able to try to make me into something I'm not. But I also feel sad...I can't explain it. It's like I'm glad she doesn't have control, but I'm also sad that the woman who gave birth to me doesn't want a thing to do with me. Like I knew she didn't before, but this just makes it official."

The kitchen was silent with the exception of everyone's breathing and the occasional shuffle of papers, no one really knowing what to say. They all knew she had a right to feel this way, but that didn't make it hurt her any less. Greg cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention back to him.

"I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted Joyce."

"Oh no, it's exactly what I wanted. She can't take me away from the people I love. It's just hitting me wrong for some reason." Joyce mourned, looking back down at the papers in her lap one last time before shutting the folder and sliding it back across the table.

"What are we doing for dinner mom? Is there anything I can do to help?" Joyce asked, officially closing the family meeting for the night. Mary looked back at Greg and sighed when he nodded his head.

"Sure honey, you can peel the potatoes."

Hopper watched Joyce in the bathroom mirror carefully, trying to gauge her mood while they brushed their teeth. She hadn't said much since the family meeting and he knew he should give her space while she was off in her own head, but he wanted to be there for her in any way possible. Quickly rinsing his mouth with water, he reached for the mouthwash at the same time she did and their fingertips brushed against each other, causing a blush to cover Joyce's cheeks.

"I miss seeing you blush over small things like that." Hopper smiled, wrapping his hand around her small one.

"I still blush, you just don't see it." She giggled, stepping into his embrace and resting her head against his chest with a sigh. Tonight had done a number on her emotions for some reason and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and snuggle up to the one person she loved more than anything in the world.

"Come to bed and hold me?" She whispered against the cotton of his shirt.

"Lead the way."

"Whoever decided that High School needed to start at seven thirty in the morning needs to be shot." Joyce grumbled into her thermos. Like usual, they were running slightly behind in their morning routine, because Joyce had convinced Hopper to snooze the alarm three times before she unwillingly climbed out of the warmth of their bed.

"I couldn't agree more. Who actually wants to start learning this early?" Hopper asked, turning the heat up in his truck.

"Don't forget I have to tutor that new kid today after school." Joyce commented, taking yet another sip of her coffee. Very rarely did Joyce drink the bitter liquid, but it was literally the only reason she was coherent at the moment.

"That's fine darlin', I have practice today so we can meet up when we're both done. You want to meet at the library or the lockers?"

"Library is good, you'll probably be done before I am. From the way this guy acts in class it's going to take a miracle for him to pass."

Pulling into the parking lot at school, Joyce leaned her head onto Hopper's shoulder as he turned his truck off.

"What would I have to do to talk you into skipping today?" She sighed, dreading walking through those doors. She didn't want to deal with anyone today and it wasn't because of the bullying which had calmed down significantly since her and Hopper had went public, she just wanted to be alone with him.

"I wish we could, hopefully the day will go by fast and we'll be home before you know it." Taking her hand in his, Hopper brought her knuckles up to his lips and placed a lingering kiss on her hand.

"Come on beautiful, let's get this shit show started."

The library was quiet as usual with the small amount of visitors during the after school hours and Joyce sat at one of her favorite tables in the back corner. She had arrived ten minutes ago, wanting to get this tutoring thing going so she could actually see what this Lonnie kid knew. Glancing to her right, she noticed Karen Buono, a girl in her year tutoring a younger student.

After waiting for what seemed like forever, Joyce sighed and began to pack up her stuff. She should have known that Lonnie would bail on his tutoring session. It was hard for her to understand how someone didn't give a shit about their education, matter less their future. As she zipped her book bag shut, a panting figure came sprinting through the library.

"Sorry...needed a cigarette..." He huffed, trying to catch his breath as he threw his book bag on the table and took a seat. Joyce raised her eyebrow at him, the smell of smoke rolling off of his jacket.

"You're lucky, I was about to leave."

"Yeah sorry, I wasn't able to get one in after lunch so the urge was killing me. Where are we starting?" He haphazardly flipped through his textbook.

"I guess where we're at in class right now. What is it that your confused on with Hamlet?"

"I guess it's all this shit that's going on with Ophelia."

Hopper slowly made this way up the second flight of stairs heading toward the library and groaned. Practice had kicked his ass and he was sore. He would probably have to break down tonight and take a sit down bath to let his muscles soak in some incredibly hot water to ease the pain. The library door smacked against his arm when he entered and he winced, wanting nothing more than to wrap Joyce in his arms and go home. Navigating through the numerous isle of books, he found Joyce in her favorite corner, the tables occupied by Joyce, Karen Buono, and who he assumed was this Lonnie kid. Hopper listened in as Joyce went on about something in act three of Hamlet as he walked over to the table. When she looked up and noticed him standing there, a smile as wide as the Grand Canyon covered her face.

"Hey honey! How was practice?" She asked, getting to her feet and coming to place a kiss on his cheek. Hopper's hand automatically went to her side.

"It was good, just want to go home and relax. Coach really let us have it today. You ready?"

"Yeah, just let me grab my stuff. Oh, by the way Hop, this is Lonnie. Karen was tutoring a freshman and heard what Lonnie was struggling with and decided to lend a hand. Karen you of course know Jim. Lonnie, this is my boyfriend Jim Hopper." Joyce finally inhaled, her excitement evident in her voice.

Lonnie stood up from the table to shake Hopper's hand and the way he gripped tighter than a normal handshake didn't go unnoticed. He was trying to size Hopper up, so he put more pressure into his shake, showing him who the alpha was here.

"I need to be heading home too, I still need to finish that project for biology. When will you two be studying here again?" Karen questioned as she gathered her books into her bag. Joyce looked over at Lonnie, waiting for his answer.

"I'm available whenever. I just go home after school usually."

"Okay, so how about Tuesday? Does that work for everyone?" Joyce asked.

Hopper watched as his peers agreed on the next tutoring session before putting his hand on Joyce's lower back and guiding her toward the door. As an afterthought he called over his shoulder.

"It was nice meeting you Lonnie, and Karen, a pleasure as always."

School the next week passed in the same boring fashion it always did. The pressure to begin studying for finals was already hitting the seniors as they prepared to apply to colleges and jobs for the fall. On top of that, the wrestling finals were Friday night, making the coach stress about any and everything. He was constantly calling Hopper out of his classes, grabbing his attention in the hallway, and even found him at the lunch table. The behavior was starting to irritate him. He knew what the hell he was doing, he'd been doing these moves and routines since his freshman year. There was a reason that he had been made captain and he wished the coach would realize this so he'd calm the fuck down. Add to the fact that girls were still trying their damndest to win him over was just the icing on top of the cake. He couldn't walk down the hallway by himself without someone trying to run their hands down some part of his body. Saturday couldn't get there fast enough he thought.

When Friday came, Hopper felt like he couldn't deal with anything. The stress from the school week on top of the pressure of the match that night had him on edge. When his alarm went off, Joyce had to lean over him and hit the snooze button, because he didn't even have the energy to do it himself.

Joyce groaned, nuzzling her head into his shoulder, causing him to pull her closer. Whenever he could hold her he felt calm, like nothing could bother him.

"If it wouldn't count against my attendance I would say screw it and hide out in the treehouse all day with you."

"I wish. We need to go back there soon anyway, it's been a few weeks. Probably need to clean it and change the sheets."

A smile flickered across Hopper's face as he remembered the last time they went to the treehouse to 'clean'.

"I know what you're thinking, and we really do need to clean it." Joyce laughed, placing a kiss on his chest before climbing out of bed. She had gotten into the habit of sleeping in her panties and one of his shirts, and Hopper couldn't help but watch as his shirt rode up around her stomach, showing off her ass when she stretched. He felt his dick start to harden at the sight of her and quickly tried to focus his thoughts on something else. With a groan he sat up and rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand, the feel of cold denim hitting his leg redirecting is attention. Upon looking up, his head was enveloped in orange flannel. Pulling the shirt from his face, he ducked when a pair of socks came flying at him.

"You picking out my clothes for me now?" He laughed, finding Joyce digging through the drawer with his undershirts before tossing a black one on the bed near his feet

"Nope, I just want you to wear this outfit today because I'm going to wear these." She pulled out the jeans that Mary had bought her for Christmas and started sliding them up her legs. Hopper had been dying to see them on her knowing they were the tightest pair of jeans she'd ever owned.

"Fine, but if I wear this, you have to wear one of my shirts. Gotta show everyone that you're mine."

"Getting a little possessive are we?" She teased, grabbing one of the old shirts he had outgrown she thought would look good with her new jeans.

"Jim! Jim! wait a second!" Hopper heard an annoyingly familiar voice call out in the hallway and looked behind him, seeing the figure of Marissa pushing her way slowly through a crowd of people. When she finally reached him, her hand instantly went out to fix the collar of his shirt and he sighed, tired of women who weren't Joyce touching him.

"Hey, I just wanted to wish you good luck tonight at the match. I'm going to be rooting for you." She cooed, running her fingers down the length of his arm. Hopper couldn't take it anymore and jerked away from the contact, not giving a damn when he saw the hurt expression in Marissa's eyes.

"I really wish you would quit touching me Marissa. I'm with Joyce. We've been dating for months now and you know this, everyone in this shit hole of a school knows this." His voice grew louder with each word to the point where he was beginning to yell.

"Jim I didn't mean…."

"All of you females in the this school keep trying to hold my hand, you keep slipping stupid love letters into my locker and running your hands down my arm. I'm with Joyce! I'm not a prize that you get for being whore of the year, and I'm asking for the last time, for all of you to stop fucking touching me!" Marissa flinched away from his words, a look of fear in her eyes.

"I'm...I'm…sorry...I..."

"Hopper? What's going on?" Joyce called out through the crowd, their peers parting as she made her way toward her angered boyfriend and easily slid her hand into his when she finally reached his side.

"I'm saying this one time, and one time only. I'm with Joyce. I love her. If you're not Joyce or a guy, do not touch me. I'm not looking for a fuck buddy, a friend, or a hug from any female that is not Joyce Horowitz, are we clear?" Hopper's voice echoed through the now silent hall. Grasping Joyce's hand a little tighter, he lead her through the crowd of people and out the double doors, not speaking a word until they were under the bleachers.

"Hop, what was all-" Joyce didn't get to finish her sentence before she found her face buried in his chest with his fingers threading through her hair to pull her closer.

"I'm so tired of everyone in this school trying to get a piece of me Joy. All I want is you. Just you."

"And you have me. I'm not going anywhere Hop, I promise." She whispered, looking up to meet his eyes.

"Do you have time for a cigarette before you go to the gym?" She questioned, already digging in her front pocket for his lighter she loved to steal.

"Yeah, coach can bite my ass for all I care at the moment." He sighed, reaching into his pocket for their camels. Together under the bleachers, Joyce listened to everything that had been bothering him over the past week and offered what little advice and comfort she could to help relieve some of the stress he was feeling.

"You bring your camera for the match?" He asked, dropping the butt of his camel to the ground and crushing it beneath his boot.

"Yeah, it's in my bag. Gotta get those shots of you winning for the yearbook." She winked, taking one last drag from her cigarette. "I love you." Wrapping her arms around his waist to block out the cold wind, she took a moment to just feel him before they went back inside.

"I love you too Joy."

"Come on Jim kick his ass!" Benny yelled from the sideline.

Hopper was currently in the final round with their rivals captain. This match had been brewing for two years, both captains wanting to prove they were the better alpha in the world of high school wrestling. The feeling of her camera's shutter clicking inside the camera kept Joyce grounded and focused on her job. Get shot's of the match for the yearbook, and for her and Hopper's personal collection. Joyce zoomed in on Hopper's face as he held the opposing captain in a lock. She knew It wouldn't be long before he won, the other captain was losing strength by the second. Hopper skillfully pinned the other man beneath him out of nowhere and in a flash the match had been won.

"Way to go Hop!" Joyce yelled from her spot in the gym as she got a shot of the two captains shaking hands. She was lucky enough to snag one of Benny hugging Hopper and she hoped their relationship, even though strained, would return to some resemblance of normal. He needed a guy friend and Benny was the only one he'd ever been close with. When the trophy was handed out, Jim held it over his head proudly. After a long two year rivalry he had finally put the other captain in his place.

"Joyce we won!" Hopper yelled when his eyes landed on her.

"I know silly, I've been watching." She giggled as Hopper pulled her into a hug.

"Eww let go, you're sweaty." She whined, moving away from him and placing her camera strap around her neck.

"Sorry, let me go change and we can head home. I'm starving."

"I'll meet you by the truck okay?" She called after him.

"Alright honey, I won't be long."

Joyce smiled when she saw Hopper and Benny both talking for what she assumed was the first time since the incident. Snapping her lense cap back in place, Joyce followed the crowd out to the parking lot and pulled Hopper's flannel closer around her body, wishing she'd gotten his keys before the match had started. Leaning against the front of his truck, her mind went in several different directions as she thought about everything that needed to be done before the weekend was over. She had to finalize the page layout for the wrestling team, she hoped she got a clear shot of Hopper and Benny holding the trophy to add to the yearbook, she had to put the final touches on her English assignment on Hamlet and they still had to brush the horses when they got home. It just always seemed like there was so much that needed to be done, without enough time to actually do it all.

The sound of giggling pulled Joyce from her thoughts. Marissa and two of her sisters were walking toward their car and she easily overheard them talking.

"I just don't get what he sees in someone like her." Marissa sneered, making eye contact with Joyce.

"I'm just glad she got a pair of jeans that were made within the last ten years." Her youngest sister snipped as she looked down her nose in her direction.

Joyce felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up and she pushed off from the truck, placing her camera in the bed before walking over to Marissa. She was tired of people talking shit, especially people who didn't know a damn thing about her.

"If you have something to say Marissa, why don't you say it to my goddamn face?" Joyce questioned, picking up speed as she moved closer to the car. She didn't miss the glint of fear in Marissa's eyes, which wasn't a surprise. Marissa wasn't a girl to fight, all talk and no bite.

"There a problem here ladies?" A familiar voice called across the parking lot and four sets of eyes turned and landed on Lonnie who was making his way toward them, a cigarette between his lips.

"Just another bitch talking shit she can't back up." Joyce snarled over her shoulder.

Lonnie finally reached the four women and took a spot beside Joyce. "Three on one, shows a lot of class there ladies. Why don't you three get in your car and shove off huh? Don't want to mess up those pretty little outfits when she whoops all your asses." Lonnie commented, as he dropped his cigarette onto the asphalt.

The three sisters looked Joyce and Lonnie up and down before they raised their noses and climbed into their car, quickly pulling out of the parking lot.

"You didn't have to do that." Joyce stated, turning around to walk back toward Hopper's truck.

"Never did like girls that traveled in packs. You however, you're a loner and I like that. You're not afraid to say what's on your mind when you're pushed to that point."

"Thanks I guess." Joyce laughed, as she checked to make sure her camera was still safe in the truck bed.

"You take pictures for fun or for school?" Lonnie questioned, reaching for another cigarette. He offered Joyce one and she gladly accepted, needing something to counter the adrenaline pumping in her system.

"Both really, I'm a photographer for the school newspaper and yearbook, but I also love taking shots of nature, and just stuff around me." She exhaled smoke, watching as Lonnie let the tailgate down and climbed up, patting the empty spot beside him.

"Why does everyone here hate you? What did you do to piss them all off?" Lonnie asked, taking a drag off his cigarette.

"They don't like me because of how I dress, and I'm quiet and like to keep to myself." She said with a shrug. He didn't need to know anything more than that.

"Your clothes look fine to me." Lonnie rested his hand on Joyce's knee, rubbing patterns into the denim and red flags instantly began to flash in front of her eyes. She glanced around, secretly hoping Hopper wouldn't be much longer. By some miracle the gym door swung open and he emerged with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans as he headed toward them. Joyce jumped down from the tailgate and practically ran into his arms where he caught her and spun her around.

"I'm so proud of you honey!" She squealed, hugging him close to her. Hopper slung his arm around her shoulders as they made their way to the truck and spotted Lonnie sitting on his tailgate.

"Everything okay Joy?" He whispered into her ear as they approached.

"Talk later." She whispered back.

When they stopped beside the truck, Lonnie jumped down. "Great match Jim, glad you guys won." He commented as he closed the tailgate back.

"Thanks, it's been a match in the making for two years now. You ready to go home Joy?" Hopper asked, putting emphasis on the word home.

"Yeah, I'm tired, I just want to cuddle up to you and go to sleep." Jocye replied, staring at Lonnie.

"Well the two of you have a good night then." Lonnie said, giving both Joyce and Hopper a two finger salute as he wondered to the other end of the parking lot. Joyce grabbed her camera out of the truck bed and cradled it to her chest. She knew Hopper was going to be pissed once she told him about Lonnie and would probably insist that she stopped tutoring him. Hopper opened Joyce's door for her and waited until she was safe in the cab before walking to the drivers side and climbing in. Once he had the engine running, and the heat on, he turned his body to face her.

"What happened?"


	17. Chapter 17

"I'll fucking break his fingers." Hopper growled out into the cab of the truck. "I don't want you tutoring him any more."

"Hop, you can't tell me not to tutor him, this is allowing me to get top marks for graduation. If I don't, I won't be top of our class." Joyce whined, moving her hand to rest over his as she watched him stew for several minutes and every now and then flex his jaw, making his five o'clock shadow stand out even more for a few brief seconds. Finally, he exhaled and sat back into his seat, his fingers slowly threading between hers.

"Fine, you can still tutor him as long as it's not one on one. I want someone else there with you at all times. Maybe Karen, but you are not to be alone with him, is that understood?"

Hopper never demanded anything of her and to hear him do it now meant that Lonnie had really ruffled his feathers. Joyce gave Hopper a slight nod before she found herself climbing into his lap, each of her legs on either side of him. Her hands ran up his neck, her thumbs brushing the sharp features of his chin causing him to close his eyes. The feeling of her just touching him was already overwhelming.

"Not that I object...but what are you doing?" He whispered into her ear before taking the lobe gently between his teeth.

"I just need to be close to you. Besides your parents, you're the only person I've ever been close to. You want to protect me and take care of me, and I'm still getting used to that."

"I will always protect you Joyce. You're my everything. Never forget that." Hopper leaned forward, his lips brushing against hers. When she didn't pull away, he kissed her fully, allowing his hands to rest on the swell of her ass as she unconsciously ground her hips down onto his, making him groan.

"Keep that up and we're going to need to clean the treehouse when we get home." He chuckled and Joyce playfully swatted him on the chest. Giving him one last kiss, Joyce climbed down from her perch and sat carefully beside him.

"Come on Hop, I know you're hungry. Let's go home."

Two weeks had passed since the incident with Lonnie. Two complete weeks where Joyce felt like she was tutoring Hopper instead of him. Now that the wrestling season was over, Hopper found he had a lot of free time after school, so he made a point to study in the library, always just a table away from Joyce, Lonnie, and sometimes Karen when she was tutoring freshmen.

It was Tuesday evening when Joyce and Hopper climbed up the steps to the farm house and casually kicked off their boots on the front porch before tumbling through the front door, both of them trying to beat the other one inside. They found Greg and Mary in the kitchen, Mary was at the pantry searching for God knows what and Greg was peeling potatoes over the sink, the discarded skins falling into a bowl below. Hopper instantly picked up on the weird tension radiating between his parents.

"Hey guys, how was school?" Mary asked when she turned around and spotted her kids standing near the kitchen table.

"Same as usual I guess. I know it sounds crazy, but I am beyond ready to be done with school. At least high school anyway."

Mary laughed at Joyce's comment, knowing the feeling all too well. She said the same thing three months before she graduated high school. Had it really been that long ago? Looking at Jim she guessed it had. Glancing over to the sink, she focused on Greg, they had been high school sweethearts. Even made prom king and queen together. His hair had a few more streaks of grey in it now than he had back then and more laugh lines, but his eyes were just as bright as they had been in freshman year when he asked her to be his. Mary silently laughed as she watched her husband concentrate on peeling the potatoes, his tongue was peeking out between his lips in concentration.

"Anything we can do to help with dinner?" Joyce asked as she grabbed the carton of milk out of the fridge to pour herself a glass.

"I think we have it covered honey, I guess just help Jim knock out chores before we eat."

Joyce gave a quick nod as she handed Hopper the rest of her milk. He downed it in two swigs before stepping beside his dad to rinse out the glass.

"Ready honey?" Hopper called over his shoulder as he gave his dad a slight nudge and headed to the hall closet without waiting for Joyce.

Once the view of the kids hand in hand heading to the barn filled the kitchen window, Mary heard Greg let out an audible sigh. She looked once more over to her husband, who was currently using the sink to hold himself up.

"After dinner. She doesn't eat enough as it is." Greg commented, before grabbing the next potato to peel away the skin.

The sound of running water echoed through the kitchen as Joyce filled the sink with tonight's dishes and soap. She wasn't sure what it was, but dinner felt tense. Maybe Greg and Mary had had a fight and weren't talking for the moment. Whatever the reason, she didn't like it, not one bit. Her hands were beneath the surface of the water, grabbing for whatever piece of dinnerware she could find to help with the cleaning process.

"Joyce, why don't you come over here and sit down for a second sweetheart, Jim, you too." Mary called, her tone making dread fill the pit of Joyce's stomach. Mary only used that tone when something bad was going on and Joyce glanced over her shoulder, meeting Hopper's eyes. He had felt the awkwardness as well, it was clearly written on his face. Reaching across the counter for a dish towel, Joyce dried her hands as she sat back down at the table, Hopper close behind her. His hand came to rest on her thigh, a habit he had picked up recently when he felt she needed a reassuring touch from him. Greg and Mary sat in silence for a second, neither one of them sure how to broach the subject. Taking a deep breath, Greg reached for Mary's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"Brad called today. The date for the trial is set for the third of February." Greg stated, looking back and forth between Hopper and Joyce's faces. "I know he originally said the twenty seventh, but it took longer than expected to get everything situated with the judge since I had requested him personally."

"Well that's good isn't it? Means he's finally going to go to prison? With the shit he pulled at the station, his priors, and all the evidence, there's no way he's going to weasel his way out of it right dad?" Jim's words rushed out in a jumbled mess. He could practically feel the tension rolling off of Joyce now, which if he was being honest, was making him nervous. She had finally seemed to be handling what had happened to her.

"What did he say?" Joyce's voice brings Hopper out of his thoughts and he glances at the calendar on the pantry door, noting today's date was the twenty fourth. Eleven days before the trial.

"He wants to set up a meeting with you sometime over the next two days to make sure we have everything in order." Mary spoke, her gaze focusing solely on Joyce.

"Do I have anything to worry about? Is there anything I can do to make sure that he goes to prison? That I can finally be free of him?"

Greg didn't miss the change in Joyce's breathing. This was why he had wanted to wait until after dinner to have this conversation, because he knew it was going to worry her.

"He just wants to make sure we have all our ducks in a row before we go to trial. Like Jim said, with Travis's priors, testimonies from the nurses and doctors who were at the hospital the night you came in, the photos, there's no way that he's going to walk free." Greg commented, reaching for his cup of coffee.

"Brad said a phone call would suffice, that you didn't have to come down to his office or the station if you didn't want to. We just need to know what you would prefer to do sweetheart."

Joyce glanced at Hopper who gave her an encouraging nod.

"A phone call would be fine I suppose..." She breathed, trying to get her lungs to corporate.

Greg nodded and reached across the table, taking Joyce's hand in his.

"He's not going to touch you ever again Joyce. I promise on my life."

Hopper could feel how tired Joyce was after the conversation with his parents and he knew all she wanted to do was retreat to the safety of his bedroom and lay down. He just prayed that tonight's talk wouldn't make her have one of those God awful migraines. Not to mention the shit that was going on with that weirdo she tutored, he didn't need her to break down on him.

At the moment she was standing on her side of the bed unbuttoning the buttons of her flannel and the fabric fell from her shoulders to reveal her white cotton bra.

"Like what you see Hop?" She whispered, turning to face him while he stood in front of his closet.

"Love it actually." He whispered, not even sure if she heard him. Pulling his shirt over the top of his head, he quickly dropped his jeans to the floor before making his way over to the bed.

"Last one up turns off the light." He called, pulling the blankets up to his chest. Joyce rolled her eyes and turned her back on him to unclasp her bra. Her eyes glanced to the window where she saw him watching her in the reflection of the glass.

"That's cheating watching me in the window." She laughed, reaching for her white night shirt. Once the fabric fell to her thighs, she shimmied out of her jeans and made her way over to the light switch.

"I better not hit my toe on anything or I'm kicking your ass." Joyce said as she carefully crossed the room back to her side of the bed. Reaching out into the complete darkness, Joyce felt the edge of the bed and quickly caught her bearings. Crawling under the covers, she snuggled into the warmth of Hopper's chest and his arms instantly curled around her, pulling her in.

"You really think we're going to win the case Hop?" She whispered, not sure if he would give her an honest answer.

"I know we will honey, you just have to have faith."

"But what if I don't? What if all I can think about is him going free with nothing but a slap on the wrist?"

Hopper kissed the top of her head before bringing his arm around to rest his hand on the small of her back, his fingers gently running along the elastic band of her panties.

"That's what you have me for honey, for when your faith is low, I can have enough for both of us."

Hopper felt the light kiss Joyce placed on his chest and sighed in contentment. Everything had to go right at the trial, because if it didn't, he didn't know what limits he wouldn't go through to protect the woman he loved.

"I love you Joyce, and I promise you will never be harmed by that sorry excuse of a man ever again."

"I love you too Jim, forever and always."

A week in and Joyce had had enough. What purpose did taking gym the last quarter of her senior year serve in the first place? She didn't need the grade to graduate, she didn't need the experience as sports weren't even on her radar, she got more than enough exercise working on the farm, and she sure as hell didn't get any enjoyment out of having yet another class with Chrissy and Marissa. As if it wasn't bad enough dealing with them one on one, it was an absolute nightmare having to endure almost two hours of them together.

She already knew Chrissy hated her, and she'd been expecting the snarky remarks and shit talking, but after Hopper blew up on Marissa, it was like Joyce was the bane of her existence. For the most part everyone was leaving Joyce alone. Now that she was friends with Karen, add that to dating Hopper, it was like she was living a completely different life, but Marissa and Chrissy were two thorns in her side she knew wouldn't just go away because of the people she now associated with.

"Hello, earth to Joyce." Karen said, pushing her elbow into Joyce's side as they walked laps around the gym.

The touch snapped Joyce from her thoughts and she blinked, turning to face Karen who had her eyebrow raised. "Sorry, what?"

Karen laughed and rolled her eyes. "I'm pretty sure nothing I just said is going to be as interesting as what's going on in that head of yours, so spill."

"You ever wish you could set things on fire with your mind?" Joyce asked randomly, eyeing the two figures walking in front of her that just so happened to be Chrissy and Marissa.

The question made Karen laugh even harder. "See what I mean? Way more interesting." Following her line of sight, she realized instantly what she meant by her question. "They still giving you problems?"

Joyce shrugged. "No more than normal. I honestly think I liked them better when they were calling me trash and pushing me into lockers. At least then Hop- I mean Jim wasn't involved."

Karen smiled at the fact Joyce had corrected herself like she didn't know she rarely ever called Jim by his first name. "His little speech he gave a few weeks ago seems to be doing the trick though don't you think?"

"Yeah, everyone seems to be leaving him alone for now...but for me, its like instead of being hated because i was the weird kid, I'm hated for having something everyone wants. It's like no matter what I do I can't win. The only reason most people leave me alone now is because of Jim, not because people actually like me."

"Welcome to the world of females. I know you haven't had many friends, but girls in general are mean petty bitches. Thankfully you have me though, because I'm awesome and I happen to like you for you, not because of who you're dating." Karen said with a smirk, not able to hold back a giggle at the look Joyce gave her. "Besides, I think your main concern should be Lonnie, that kid is creepy."

"What do you mean?" Not that Joyce had forgotten about him touching her, she just wanted to make sure there wasn't something else going on she had completely missed.

"Seriously? He's got it bad for you."

"What?" She had to be mistaken, sure Lonnie was a creep, but guys didn't like Joyce Horowitz like that, hell no one liked her, no one other than Karen and Hopper really even knew anything about her.

Karen touched Joyce's shoulder, leaning in a little closer to her. "If there's one thing I've learned about the guys in this town, it's how they look when they see something they like, and he most definitely likes you."

"But he knows I have a boyfriend."

"Since when has that stopped anyone from trying to get what they want? Just look at all the girls after your man." Karen pointed out, dropping her hand to her side.

Joyce took a minute to let that bit of information sink in as she made her way over to a blue mat on the floor where her and a partner were supposed to take turns doing stretches. Instead, her and Karen both sat down and leaned against the wall watching everyone else while continuing to talk. "He rubbed my leg out in the parking lot after Jim had his wrestling tournament…" Joyce admitted, finding it nice to have someone else other than Hopper to talk to about things like this.

"He did what?" Karen asked in disbelief, listening as Joyce retold the story about Marissa and her sisters, and how Lonnie tried to play hero before touching her. "So that's why Jim's always in the library now? Because I know for a fact I've only seen him in there maybe twice in the four years I've been tutoring."

Joyce smiled when Karen took a small stab at her boyfriend because she knew it was true. Hopper rarely ever went to the library unless he knew she was going to be there. "He wanted me to stop tutoring him all together, but I can't if I want to graduate top of our class. Do you really think he'll try to do something else?"

"Just make sure you're not alone with him again. I know I said the way he looks at you means he likes you, but the way he watches everything you do is a little obsessive and weird. Like right now…" Joyce watched as Karen casually pointed over her right shoulder where she assumed Lonnie was standing, and just as she turned in that direction a basketball came flying at her face so fast she barely had a chance to lean out of the way as it smacked against the wall behind her, missing her by an inch.

"Jesus." Joyce whispered as she pushed herself off of Karen, not missing the laughter she heard coming from across the gym where Marissa and Chrissy were standing.

"You alright?" Someone asked just as she noticed Benny making his way toward them. A hand touching her shoulder caused Joyce to jump and that's when she noticed Lonnie had been the one speaking to her.

Karen slapped at Lonnie's hand as soon as she saw the way Joyce jumped. "Back off."

"Whoa, hey, I was just seeing if she was ok." Lonnie defended, holding up both of his hands to show he meant no harm.

Joyce suddenly felt surrounded. Almost every set of eyes in the gym were now looking in her direction and two large bodies were hovering over her. Two bodies she didn't exactly feel comfortable having that close to her own. "I'm fine." She managed to get out as she pushed herself to stand, Karen moving with her.

When Lonnie reached out for Joyce again, it was Benny who stopped him this time. "Dude, chill out."

Joyce silently thanked Benny with a quick glance and was about to walk away when Chrissy came from around him, Marissa hot on her heels.

"Quick reflexes you got there loser, a shame really, might have done that thing you call a face some good getting hit." Chrissy snipped.

Marissa giggled and nudged Chrissy's arm with her elbow. "I'm still trying to figure out how Jim can stand to look at it how it is now."

"Ok seriously, why does everyone in this school have a problem with Joyce?" Lonnie asked out of nowhere, looking between everyone confused.

Chrissy laughed, turning to face him. "You have a lot to learn around here new kid."

Karen took a step forward, placing herself in front of Joyce with a hand on her hip. "What, like the fact you two bitches can't let shit go?"

"Since when did the two of you become friends anyway?" Marissa asked. "Pretty sure you contributed just as much as the rest of us."

"Actually." Benny cleared his throat. "Karen never once said anything bad about Joyce. In fact, I think this is the first time I've ever heard Karen say anything bad about anyone."

Which was true. Karen was one of the popular kids that had a small group of close friends and didn't get involved in high school drama. She had definitely been present on more than one occasion when others were talking shit about Joyce, or making comments as she walked by, but she stayed out of it. Karen was known for being helpful and kind, so for her to stand up for Joyce and call someone else a bitch in front of others was a little out of character, but it showed that the friendship her and Joyce were slowly creating was genuine.

"Then what about you?" Chrissy asked Benny with a raised brow. "A month ago you were whining about how the biggest loser in the school stole your best friend."

Benny clenched his jaw and shut his eyes. "Look, I know I'm an asshole, but at least I'm trying to make up for all the messed up shit I've done. At least I feel bad about it. Like Karen said, the two of you need to learn to let things go and move on." Even after everything Benny had done, Jim still never badmouthed him to anyone and Joyce never spoke a word about how horrible he'd been toward her. That quickly made him realise how much of a piece of shit he really was and he didn't want to go on living a life where he just made everyone around him miserable. He didn't expect Jim or Joyce to actually ever forgive him, but if two people he had hurt could still be decent toward him, he knew something major in his life needed to change.

Joyce moved slightly so Karen was no longer in front of her and watched in silence as she tried to understand what was happening. This was the first time someone other than Hopper had ever defended her and she honestly had no idea how to feel about it. Especially since one of the people defending her had been one of the people who'd hurt her the most.

"You guys still never answered my question." Lonnie said when there was a pause in the conversation, all eyes suddenly falling on him like he'd said the stupidest thing ever. "What? There's obviously a lot of tension here and Joyce for some reason seems to be the focal point. What exactly did she do to piss you all off so much?"

"How long you got?" Chrissy sneared, smacking her gum obnoxiously.

"Oh give it a rest." Karen butted in. "Joyce simply existing was enough of a reason for you to hate her."

"Or the fact she busted up my face and stole my boyfriend!" The rise in Chrissy's voice started drawing more attention to their small group.

Living a life hiding in the shadows and keeping to herself made being the center of attention difficult to process and Joyce felt herself becoming anxious the longer they all stood there talking about her.

"Pretty sure you hated her before all of that." Benny added.

Marissa stepped forward to face Benny. "She's a psycho just like her father, that's the only reason she went off on Chrissy in the first place. Jim will get tired of her shit eventually and realize he's wasting his time."

"What exactly do you even know about her father Marissa? Or Jim for that matter?" Karen held out her hands in question.

Joyce felt her chest start to tighten and she blinked back tears as the conversation around her faded into the background, her mind becoming clouded by her anxiety. She tried to suck in a deep breath to keep herself calm, not wanting to make a scene and add more fuel to the fire, but it wasn't working. All of the confidence she'd shown Marissa and her sisters in the parking lot after Jim's tournament was long gone and she didn't understand why. The mix of emotions crashing down on her was just too much.

"Joyce?" Lonnie whispered her name, ignoring the bickering still going on around them when he noticed the state she was in.

Lonnie touching her arm was all it took for Joyce to shift her stance and put distance between her and the unwanted contact. "Stop…" She choked out, her voice so low she wondered if she'd even said the word out loud. Lonnie said her name again and when she didn't respond, he went to touch her face and Joyce flinched, knocking his hand out of the way. "Stop touching me."

Thankfully her voice hadn't been loud enough to gather the attention of the entire gym, but the small group around her fell silent and turned in her direction to see what had caused the sudden outburst.

Joyce roughly wiped tears from her cheeks and clutched the collar of her shirt as she tried to even out her breathing. Without a word she shoved passed Benny and Marissa and made her way toward the locker room, feeling herself starting to panic. She shook out her hands when she reached her locker and sucked in several deep breaths, trying anything to get herself to calm down.

With a frustrated sigh Joyce opened her locker and pulled her shirt over her head, dropping it onto the wooden bench beside her before reaching for her flannel. Her hands were shaking so bad she couldn't get her arm to go into the hole of the sleeve and she suddenly wanted to scream.

The sound of people approaching caused her heart rate to increase when she realized she was standing there in only her bra. Joyce had been careful most of her life to keep her body hidden from the world and for some reason that same body chose then to betray her by not allowing her hands to accomplish the simple task of dressing herself.

"Why can't you two just leave her alone?" Joyce heard Karen ask as she came around the corner, turning to face Marissa and Chrissy who were following her.

"Why can't you mind your own business?" Chrissy shot back, stopping dead in her tracks when she took in the sight of Joyce still fumbling with her flannel. "Oh this is too good."

Karen made her way over to Joyce, carefully taking the shirt from her shaking hands when she saw how distressed she was. "Just ignore them." She whispered as she helped Joyce slide her arms into the shirt and over her shoulders, trying to save her some dignity if that were even possible at this point. Her back had been completely bare to her, and the marks painting her skin didn't go unnoticed by Karen, or Chrissy and Marissa for that matter.

"Shut the fuck up!" Karen yelled when the two of them kept making comments about Joyce's body. "Jesus Christ don't you have something better you could be doing?"

Marissa laughed and took a step toward her. "Oh come on, you know you're thinking the same thing we are. Who the hell would ever want to touch that? I guess I can understand Jim tolerating her face, but this is disgusting. I mean...unless he doesn't know?"

"Do you really think the trash princess puts out after two months of dating?" Chrissy mocked. "I'm surprised she even knows how to- Hey! You can't be in here!"

For most seniors, having a free period meant studying for finals or applying to colleges, all of which Hopper had been avoiding. Instead he chose to spend his time either sleeping in his truck, leaving Joyce notes in her locker, or smoking under the bleachers. He was still undecided what he was going to do after High School and his grades were well beyond what was needed to graduate, so he didn't see the point in spending the next few months stressing over nothing. Which is exactly why he was currently relaxing outside under the bleachers with a cigarette between his lips for the next twenty minutes before he had to go to biology.

He'd been humming along to a song stuck in his head when the sound of heavy breathing and shoes smacking against concrete made him open his eyes to see Benny running toward him.

"There you are…" Benny panted, leaning forward to rest his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

Hopper inhaled a lung full of smoke and pushed himself away from the pole he'd been leaning against, eyeing him suspiciously. "Everything alright?" He asked, finding it strange that he'd been looking for him considering there was still a lot of tension between them. They had been talking a little more since winning all state, but they weren't exactly friends.

Benny shook his head and stood up straight with a sigh once he could breathe again. "Joyce needs you. Marissa tried to hit her with a basketball, then her and Chrissy and Karen got into an argument. Lonnie said something, I said something, everyone was fighting and Joyce started freaking out before she took off running into the locker room. Karen, Marissa and Chrissy went after her."

Hopper barely had a chance to blink as he tried to keep up with the rush of words spilling from Benny's mouth. The only part that really mattered was 'Joyce needed him' and he was already tossing his cigarette to the ground and heading toward the gym, listening as Benny filled him in along the way.

Slipping into the gym from the outside door, Hopper casually walked toward the girls locker room, trying not to draw attention to himself. He really didn't care if someone tried to stop him, he was going to find Joyce regardless, he just didn't want to deal with the hassle if it could be avoided.

Following the sound of Marissa's voice, Hopper moved around a set of lockers and his eyes instantly landed on Joyce who was cowering against a wall with her head down struggling to get the first button done on her flannel. A heat of anger crept up his neck when he saw how badly she was shaking and made his way over to her, ignoring Chrissy when she yelled at him to get out.

"Joyce?" Hopper called softly, wanting her to hear his voice before he reached out to place a hand over her trembling ones. When she lifted her head to meet his eyes, he cupped her cheek and brushed away a few stray tears, taking note of the way her chest was rising and falling. "It's ok sweetheart, just breathe." Thankfully she hadn't slipped into a full blown panic attack, because he wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle it correctly with the frustration he was currently feeling.

Joyce sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, shutting her eyes as blood started rushing to the tips of her ears and down her neck the more embarrassed she got. She hated that Hopper had to come to her rescue all the time because she couldn't act like a normal person and keep her shit together. The stress of the trial and the fact that Chrissy and Marissa had seen her scars had her a jumbled mess of emotions. Along with being overwhelmed at Lonnie, Karen and Benny actually defending her, it wasn't surprising her body had no idea what to do or how to feel.

"You want to go home?" Hopper asked, keeping his voice low as he gently moved her hands away from her shirt and started buttoning it up for her. They only had one more class for the day and it wouldn't make a difference if they skipped it.

Joyce gave him a nod and placed one of her hands on his hip, her fingers flexing against him when Chrissy started talking again.

"I know your girlfriends a psycho, but you can't be in here Jim. So get out. She's a big girl, she doesn't need you running in here like some white knight just because she can't handle the truth."

Hopper clenched his jaw and he continued helping Joyce with her shirt, not bothering to look in Chrissy's direction when he spoke. "You of all people should know she's more than capable of taking care of herself."

"So why are you here?" She asked, leaning against a locker before twisting a strand of long blonde hair between her fingers.

"Because everyone has a limit and you obviously don't know when to stop pushing. Give it a rest already. You don't have a clue what she's going through and she doesn't need you being a bitch to her for no reason on top of everything."

"And how do you know she didn't start all of this?" Chrissy asked.

Hopper rolled his eyes. "Because I've known Joyce my entire life and she's never been mean to any of you, and before you say it." He pointed at her. "You deserved the beating you got. That was, and still is, the only time she's ever done anything like that and it only happened because you provoked her."

"Then explain all of this…" Chrissy gestured with her hands toward Joyce's body. "She's obviously been pissing someone off, unless the two of you are into some weird freaky shit."

Hopper slung Joyce's bag over his shoulder and took her hand in his. "That's none of your business."

"Considering I thought I wanted to be with you, it might have been nice to know you're into hurting your girlfriends Jim." Marissa spoke up. "We all know this joke of a relationship between the two of you won't last, so it might be worth sharing with others your little secret so no one else gets hurt."

Hopper swallowed, trying to force back the rage he felt brewing in his chest at someone accusing him of hurting Joyce. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't? The evidence is right there."

"Hold on a second…" Chrissy interrupted, stepping beside Marissa. "I get it now. Old daddy Horowitz has been putting it to her." The shift in Joyce's features was all Chrissy needed to know she had hit the nail on the head. "So the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree. Makes sense I suppose, you're both out of your fucking minds."

"Chrissy stop." Karen said suddenly, watching as Hopper had to wrap his arms around Joyce's middle to keep her from jumping on Chrissy. Something inside of Joyce burst at the mention of Travis and everything she was feeling on the inside was making its way to the surface. Anger, hurt, fear, all of it mixed together and she started sobbing while trying to claw her way out of Hopper's hold to take out the current source of the pain she was feeling.

Marissa and Chrissy just started laughing, getting a thrill out of the fact they had managed to dig under Joyce's skin so deep she was ready to tear out their throats. It just proved they were right about her being crazy, because in that moment she showed all the signs of someone who'd clearly lost it.

"What is wrong with you?" Karen asked, stepping directly in front of Chrissy and Marissa as Hopper tried to remove Joyce from the locker room. Even though her and Joyce were getting closer, and she was starting to come out of her shell, she hadn't told Karen much about her family or her past, and definitely not about the abuse she'd obviously suffered. Karen was slightly amazed Chrissy had been able to put two and two together considering she wasn't the brightest. It wasn't like Karen hadn't heard the rumors about Joyce's father, but this wasn't what she'd been expecting and it broke her heart to see her friend hurting. If her own boyfriend was having a hard time calming her down, Karen knew there wasn't much she could do to help, she could however try to put a stop to the torment Chrissy and Marissa were causing once and for all.

"What's wrong with me?" Chrissy said, poking Karen in the chest with a well manicured fingernail. "What's wrong with you? Pretending to be that freaks friend isn't going to suddenly give you a gold star in life, so drop the act."

Karen shoved Chrissy's finger away and ran a hand over her face. "Jim was right, you really don't have a clue what you're talking about."

Marissa decided to join in on the conversation then. "So that's why you're talking to Joyce? Hoping to get a little piece of Jim are we?"

"No Marissa, unlike you I don't mess with other peoples boyfriends." Karen was starting to lose her patience. The childish and petty stabs were getting old and she didn't have time to stand there all day and listen to them say the same things over and over.

"Sure as hell didn't stop Joyce."

"My God Chrissy let it go!" Karen snapped. "I don't know what the hell you're trying to gain by continuing to bully her, but it stops now. She's been through enough without you having to make it worse, so why keep being cruel?" Karen grabbed her coat and pulled it over her shoulders, wanting to go check on her friend. "I better not hear whispers in the halls or a single word from anyone about what you saw in here."

"Or what?" Marissa glared.

Karen smirked. "Or the entire school will find out about you giving a fifteen year old a blow job last month in the parking lot. Pretty sure your parents and the rest of the town don't condone eighteen year olds giving sexual favors to minors." She turned to face Chrissy then who was about to speak, cutting her off. "Don't get me started on you. My mom and your mom are still friends and I have more dirt on you and your family than anyone else in this shitty town."

Both Marissa and Chrissy stood speechless.

"Now that we're finally done here, leave Joyce the fuck alone." Karen said one last time before turning around and leaving the locker room. She didn't like having to be this type of person, it made her feel off balance considering how peaceful and calm she usually was about everything, but something had to be done or it would never end. She just hoped she'd gotten her point across.

As soon as the outside air hit Joyce's face she was pulling away from Hopper's grip, trying to shake the rest of the anxiety and frustration from her body as she continued to cry.

"FUCK!" She screamed and kicked a rock across the parking lot, making Hopper jump slightly. Not only was she tired of feeling completely useless as a human being, two people that she knew couldn't keep their mouths shut, now knew her darkest secret and it was only a matter of time before everyone else found out.

Joyce knew Hopper was only trying to help when he moved to stand beside her, but she was too upset at herself to allow the comforting touch he attempted to give. "Why do you put up with this?" She asked pathetically.

"Because I love you." Hopper kept his distance, knowing her body language all too well when she shifted at the first twitch of his hand moving toward her.

"I just want one day! One day in this hell where everything goes right for a change. Is that really too much to ask?" Joyce plopped herself down in the grass beside the pavement of the parking lot and pulled her legs forward, dropping her forehead to her knees with a hand on the back of her neck. "You deserve so much better than this Hop." She whispered, her voice muffled due to her face pressing into her jeans. "Maybe Benny was right...I did steal you from your friends. You should be out having fun with them like you used to instead of spending all of your time offering me a shoulder to cry on or trying to calm me down. I keep you stuck in bed days at a time because I'm too messed up and too tired to do anything, and its only going to get worse since I can't keep my own secret, a fucking secret!" Joyce lifted her head up toward the sky and shut her eyes, sucking in a deep breath as her fingers twisted in the grass beneath her and new tears covered her cheeks.

Hopper tossed Joyce's bag to the ground and sat down beside her with his legs crossed. "Do you really think I had more fun with them?"

"I know you did, you were never at home unless you were coming to the treehouse to be with me. You were always out at games, or swimming at the quarry, hell even just riding up and down main street with Benny, you were having fun Hop. You were living the life you were supposed to and then we kissed in the treehouse and everything shifted. I became the center of your attention. Me. The stupid trash of Hawkins stole all the happiness out of your life."

"Joyce stop, just stop." The tone in Hopper's voice made Joyce realize she had fucked up and she could practically feel the frustration rolling off of him. "Don't talk about yourself like that ever again, you hear me?" Hopper stared at her, rubbing his hands over his jeans.

Joyce gave a nod, not knowing what to say and they sat in silence for what felt like hours before Hopper stood from the ground and turned to face her, holding out his hand. She sighed and took it without hesitation and once she was on her feet, he pulled her to his chest, one hand pressed to the small of her back, the other tangled in her hair.

"Joyce, the entire time I was out doing stuff with everyone else, I was imagining doing it with you. How things would be if you were riding beside me up and down main street, how you would sit on my shoulders when we play chicken at the quarry. I wanted you to be with me the entire time I was out doing whatever. I can have that now. I want to spend every last second I can with you, no matter if we're just hanging out at the treehouse, studying in my room, or shoveling shit in the barn. You're the love of my life, please never forget how important you are to me."

Joyce hadn't realized she was crying until his thumb grazed her cheek, wiping away the tears that had fallen. She stood on her tiptoes and slowly kissed him, not knowing what their future held, but she knew as long as Jim was by her side, she could conquer whatever life threw at them.


	18. Chapter 18

Why was it when Hopper found himself getting the best sleep, it was always interrupted? Usually it was his alarm for school stirring him awake in the early morning hours, or his dad telling him to get started on chores before he headed into work, but hardly ever because Joyce was returning to bed.

Confused, Hopper blinked a few times and tried to clear his vision as he watched Joyce snuggle back down into the covers. He lifted his head to see the clock on the nightstand beside her and it was almost an hour before they had to be up to get ready for school, the sun was just starting to rise, it was way too early for either of them to be awake.

"Joyce?" Hopper called sleepily, scooting his body to press his chest against her back. "You okay?"

"Just went to get a glass of water." She said softly as she rolled over to face him, her hand reaching up to brush his bangs out of his face. "Go back to sleep."

Turning his head slightly, he pressed his lips against her fingers and took a moment to study her face. She had bags forming under her eyes like she'd been awake most of the night, they were bloodshot, and that familiar vein by her temple was protruding. She was in pain and he wasn't sure why she was trying to hide it.

"You have a headache." He accused, watching as she frowned and shut her eyes.

"Really, I'm OK." She insisted, moving closer to him to bury her face against his chest. "I took some medicine, so I should be fine before we go to school."

Placing a light kiss on top of her head, Hopper wrapped her in his embrace and tried not to worry. He wasn't sure if he'd actually be able to fall back asleep, but he didn't mind holding her while she got in a short nap and gave her medicine a chance to start working.

When the alarm finally did sound, Joyce groaned and rolled away from him to lay on her back and stretch out. Hopper smiled and poked her side when her shirt rose up to expose the soft skin of her stomach, causing her to giggle and swat his hand away.

Glad she seemed to be feeling a little bit better, Hopper stopped trying to tickle her and let her go to take a quick shower while he got dressed and made his way downstairs into the kitchen where Mary was making breakfast.

"Morning." Hopper said sleepily as he walked passed his mom to grab the carton of milk from the fridge.

"Morning honey, where's Joyce?" Mary asked as she focused on flipping a pancake that was close to being finished.

"She wanted to take a shower before school." Catching the look his mother gave him when he attempted to drink out of the carton, Hopper rolled his eyes and poured the milk into a glass before leaning against the counter. "Mom, can I ask you something?"

Mary watched the way her son looked over his shoulder like he didn't want anyone to hear what he was going to say, and she tried not to let the worry she suddenly felt show in her voice. "Everything alright?"

When Mary dropped the last pancake onto the huge stack of finished ones, Hopper helped her take that and a plate of bacon over to the table. "Is there any way you can set up an appointment with Joyce's doctor to have them look into her headaches? I don't know why, but lately she's been trying to hide that she's in pain and I think she's having a lot more of them then she's telling me about. I know they said she could have them for months, but maybe there's something else they can do? Like change her medicine or...I don't know." Hopper said in an exhausted rush, flopping into a chair with a sigh. He hated knowing this was one thing he couldn't protect her from and it irritated him to see her in pain while he watched on helplessly.

Mary sat down in her usual spot with a cup of hot coffee between her hands and frowned slightly at how stressed her son seemed. "Have you talked to her about this?"

"I mean, I've brought it up to her. About how she always seems to have them, even after taking her meds, and she always brushes it off. She says it's no big deal and that they will pass when they pass. I just don't want her to be in pain if she didn't have to be, ya know?" Hopper finishes, stabbing a few pancakes with his fork and maneuvering them onto his plate.

"I know honey. I'll make an appointment for her okay? As soon as they can fit her in, I'll take her."

The sound of Joyce coming down the stairs quickly silenced the conversation Mary and Hopper were having and quickly changed it into what Hopper wanted for dinner that night. It was Friday after all, and he got to pick every Friday.

"I'm not really sure mom, whatever you want to do is fine." He voiced, stabbing yet another pancake.

"Joyce is there anything in particular that you would like for dinner?"

"Hmm?...Oh no, I'm fine with whatever you want to do mom, I'm happy as long as it's food."

Hopper watched as Joyce picked at her breakfast. He knew she was anxious about the phone call that was about to take place, and honestly, he couldn't blame her. She had always been a ball of anxiety, even going to the school at one point had made her pick her nails until they were well under the quick in her fingers. Sliding his hand across the table, he took hers in his.

"I'm here if you need me Joyce, we don't have to talk if you don't want to, but just know I'm here. We're here." Hopper glanced at his mother, he needed her support just as much as Joyce did.

"Guess we should get this show on the road then huh?" Joyce sighed, pushing her untouched plate away from her.

* * *

Joyce sat perched on top of the small bar stool which was housed under the phone located in the Hopper's kitchen. Mary and Jim both sat behind her at the kitchen table, Mary taking sips from her coffee while Hopper doodled in one of his school notebooks. They both wanted to be there in case Joyce needed them, but weren't wanting to smother her either. Joyce felt like everyone in the house was walking on eggshells when they were around her, afraid to upset her and cause her to go into a panic attack, or to initiate the start of a headache, and it only made her even more nervous.

With a sigh, she finally picked up the phone and dialed the number to Brad's office, listening intently to three rings before he answered in what she assumed was meant to be his business voice.

"Thank you for calling Walker and associates, this is Brad, how can I help you?" His stern voice questioned into the receiver.

"Hey Brad, this is Joyce...umm Greg said you needed to speak with me?"

"Oh hey Joyce, yeah I just wanted to let you know what was going on with the case, and to make sure you knew what to expect when we go to the courthouse."

"Oh okay...everything alright?"

"Yeah it's fine, I'm sure Greg told you we have a date for the case, and that with all the evidence we have there is a very, and I mean very slim chance of Travis walking away."

"Yeah, he also said that there would be a few other cases that day in the same courtroom, so it may take a while for our case to come up on the docket."

"Yes ma'am that is correct. However, Travis will not be in the room until it's time for our case. We will just have to sit and wait for our turn and then things will proceed from there."

"Okay, anything I need to do in particular that day, or before then?" Joyce questioned, twining the phone cord around her pinky finger until the tip of her pinky turned purple.

"I just want you to try and stay relaxed over the weekend. Once we're in the courtroom I'm going to have to ask you several personal questions in front of a room full of strangers and I know it's going to be painful, but just remember that everything we discuss is going to make it easier for the jury to convict Travis."

Joyce swallowed. "I understand."

"If there's anything else that I need to tell you, I can pass it along through Greg if that's fine with you?"

"Yeah that's completely fine. Umm I guess I'll go ahead and head to school now. Let me know if there's anything I can do." She stuttered out, trying to ignore the dread she could feel bubbling in her stomach.

"You do that, have a good day at school Joyce." With those final words, Brad disconnected the call. Joyce carefully cradled the phone back in its holder and hopped down from the stool. Hopper looked up from his notebook with questions burning in his eyes, but he held them back, knowing she would talk to him when she was ready.

* * *

"Thanks Benny." Joyce said as she slowly walked toward the library door to meet Lonnie for their Friday tutoring session.

"You sure you're okay Joyce?" Benny questioned as he adjusted the bag on his shoulder.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a headache. I'll take something for it when I get home tonight. Thanks again."

"No problem, see you next week."

The events that took place after the incident in the gym on Monday had Joyce wondering what kind of world she had woken up to on Tuesday. It was like a switch had been flipped and her life was suddenly the one she should have been living the last six years. Marissa and Chrissy thankfully wouldn't even look in her direction and everyone was being overly nice to the point it was a little nauseating. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that by the next day things would magically go back to normal, but Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday came and went with no change at all and it left Joyce completely baffled.

Benny had started walking with her between classes when Hopper or Karen weren't able to and at first the gesture made Joyce uneasy. She wasn't really sure how to feel about being alone with Benny after he'd hurt her and the years of teasing and bullying she had suffered because of him specifically, but being the kind and forgiving person she was, she couldn't help but give him a chance to be the person she knew he could be without the pressure of his peers influencing his decisions. Even Hopper noticed the shift in his personality and they both agreed his intentions seemed genuine, which was the only reason Hopper had started talking to him again in the first place. Not to mention Hopper would more than likely kill him if he did anything to hurt her and that little bit of fear may have helped push Benny in the right direction.

Lonnie had even been acting like a normal person for once, and by normal that just meant he was being less creepy. He seemed to be paying more attention to learning during their tutoring sessions and not just staring at her or trying to touch her any chance he got. She even found herself laughing and having conversations with him like she would with Karen, like she would with someone she called a friend, and it was a little overwhelming to say the least.

"Sorry I'm late." Lonnie said, pulling Joyce from her thoughts as he tossed his bag to the floor and took a seat next to her. "Mrs. Summers wanted to talk to me about the 'B' I made!" He continued, slapping their latest english test down in front of her. A bright red 'B' across the top of the paper stared back at her along with a cheesy smiley face beside it.

Joyce couldn't help but laugh at the stupid dance he did and rolled her eyes. "Good to know everything we've worked on hasn't been completely lost in that empty space you call a brain."

"Hey!" Lonnie smirked, bumping her shoulder with his elbow. "Can't you just be happy for me?"

Joyce shook her head and smiled. "Fine. I'm happy you're actually trying to not be stupid."

Lonnie playfully held his hands up in disbelief and looked over at Karen who was at the table beside theirs working with one of her regulars. "Is this how she treats all the people she tutors?"

Karen tried to hide the grin spreading through her features at their childish bickering. "Do you really want me to get involved? Because us girls stick together."

Lonnie huffed at being ganged up on and leaned back in his chair. "Let me just remind you both, that the only reason I'm here is because my last school was apparently years behind in their teaching and not because I'm actually stupid."

"Aww cheer up there sunshine. When you continue to make those kinds of grades, then you can have something to brag about." Karen joked and finally let her grin show when Lonnie stuck his tongue out at her.

"Alright you two." Joyce said with a giggle before opening her English book and sliding it in front of Lonnie to share. Karen took that as her queue to leave them alone and went back to what she'd been doing before getting interrupted.

"How are you this smart?" Lonnie asked after about twenty minutes of her explaining some of the more important material that would be on their next test like it was as simple as knowing how to tie your shoes. "There's no way I'm going to remember all of this."

"It's really not that difficult. Here…" Joyce said as she leaned down between them to grab a highlighter out of her bag. When she lifted her head to settle back into her seat, Lonnie was suddenly grabbing her face and pulling her toward him to press his lips to hers. Joyce jerked away from him so violently she knocked her chair over as she got to her feet and took several steps away from him, her hand coming up to wipe at her mouth.

Lonnie stood as well and reached out for her, a look of hurt in his eyes. "Joyce-"

"What the fuck are you doing?" Hopper's voice suddenly sounded from behind them, causing both her and Lonnie to startle.

Joyce immediately turned to face her boyfriend and when she saw him practically shaking with anger she felt her chest start to tighten. She knew Hopper already hated the fact she was continuing to tutor Lonnie after what he'd done and now she feared he was going to think she'd been leading him on in some way.

"Joyce get your shit together." Hopper demanded, his eyes not moving from her face.

"Hop...I didn't-"

"Now!" He screamed, causing her to flinch. She had never been afraid of Hopper before in her life, but in that moment with her anxiety spiking, her fight or flight instinct was telling her to make a run for it.

"Hey man, don't yell at her like that." Lonnie said as he made a move toward Joyce, which was quickly stopped by Hopper who shifted to stand toe to toe with him.

"Take another step toward her and I'll break your nose." Hopper growled.

"Jim, you need to leave. If you do anything here now you won't graduate in May." Karen hissed from where she was standing. Hopper had been so intent on Lonnie he hadn't noticed that Karen was no longer at her table and Joyce was no longer in the library.

"Do what she says Jim. No reason to make a bigger fool of yourself."

"Lonnie for once in your life, shut the fuck up." Karen urged, noticing how the vein in Jim's neck was throbbing. "Jim go. Joyce is going to need you." She pleaded and at the mention of Joyce's name, the giant in front of her seemed to calm slightly.

Hopper balled his hands into fists to keep from doing something he'd regret and took one more step closer to Lonnie, towering over the creep by at least half a foot. "Stay the fuck away from my girlfriend Byers."

* * *

Breathe, you have to make yourself breathe. Joyce chanted to herself as she practically ran down the stairwell from the library and out into the parking lot. She felt as if the straps of her bag were strangling her. One minute she had been reaching for a highlighter and the next thing a pair of unfamiliar lips were on her. She thought she had made it perfectly clear that she didn't have any interest in Lonnie, that she was completely in love with Hopper. Why in the hell would Lonnie ever think it would be okay to kiss her? The sound of Hopper's voice echoed through the parking lot just as Joyce reached his familiar blue truck.

"Joyce! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

Joyce couldn't even bring herself to acknowledge Hopper as she grasped the door handle on the passenger side of his truck. She knew she was mumbling to herself, beating herself up for being so stupid. She should have known that her life was going to continue to be a shit show. Why had she thought any different? Because she had Hopper? Some days Joyce felt like he was too perfect for her and everyone knew it. He was always there making sure she was okay, that she was eating and taking her meds, anything and everything he could do to make her life easier and what had she done? Burdened not only him, but his family in the horrible play that was her life.

"Joyce are you listening to me? I said I was sorry. I overreacted." Hopper apologized as he reached across the cab and unlocked her door. Joyce was close to having a full blown panic attack now, tears were starting to sting her eyes and her breathing came in rushed pants. Every nerve in her body was on edge. Hopper tried to reach out for her hand, but the moment he moved, so did Joyce, she practically recoiled from his touch.

"Need to go home. Homework." She stuttered, trying her best to get herself under control.

"Okay Joy, we're going, we're going." Hopper whispered, throwing his truck into reverse. He knew once she had her mind set on something, even in a state like this, it would help her to knock out the task and give her something to focus on besides her panic. He broke the speed limit getting them home, not giving a fuck if he got pulled or not. His number one priority at the moment was getting Joyce home as soon as possible.

Hopper had never been happier in his life to see his driveway. That gravel road meant safety for not only Joyce, but for him as well. The moment his truck was in park, Joyce was out of the cab and running up the stairs of the porch and into the house. He followed her as quickly as he could, taking the front steps in two bounds. He found her in the kitchen, already meticulously laying her textbooks, and notebooks in front of her as she worked on evening out her breathing. Without a word, Hopper sat down at the table on the opposite side of her. He knew she would have to work through this on her own and all he could do was wait.

* * *

Why? That was the unanswered question that Joyce found herself asking no one in particular time and time again, every single day of her life. Why did she have to be present at the trial two days from now? Why did she have to see Travis again? Why couldn't she sleep at night without being plagued by nightmares? Why had Linda left her? Why had Travis abused her? Why had Lonnie ruined everything with that stupid kiss? Why couldn't she just fight through her current headache and the panic she was feeling and get her homework finished? Why Why Why?

Slamming her pencil down onto the kitchen table, Joyce rubbed her hands over her face wanting to scream in frustration. The way her headaches affected the simple tasks of everyday life left her in a depression she couldn't explain. She'd always been one step ahead when it came to school and now she found herself five steps behind. No matter how hard she pushed to get a leg up, life always threw something in the way to hold her back. Whether it was tutoring, answering questions about the trial or having to deal with assholes at school, it just kept nagging and nagging until a headache was ripping through her skull bringing out the absolute worst in her.

Hopper tensed when Joyce suddenly stood and gathered her work in her arms. He'd been sitting across from her at the table keeping his mouth shut as he did his own homework, watching as she ripped page after page from her note book the more frustrated she got. He knew trying to talk to her about it when she got this way was pointless, so he'd been biting his lip to stay quiet in hopes she'd be able to get through it on her own. When she walked across the room and dumped everything she'd been holding into the trash can, Hopper stood and followed her as she left the kitchen and entered the foyer of their home.

"Joyce?" He called, touching her shoulder to make her stop.

Joyce jerked away from him and rubbed a hand through her hair.

Hopper frowned at her rejection and dropped his arm to his side. "What's wrong?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"If this is about what happened with Lonnie, I'm sorry. I should have never reacted that way. Will you just come sit down and talk to me?" He pleaded, reaching for her once again when she went to open the front door.

"Don't touch me!" She shouted, causing Hopper to flinch. The look on his face made the tears she'd been holding back slip down her cheeks. "I'm sorry...I just…"She didn't finish her sentence before she was stepping out onto the front porch to get away from him.

"Joyce!" Hopper called, following her outside. "Joyce stop, what's happening right now?"

Catching her at the bottom of the steps, Hopper moved his body so he was standing in front of her, making sure to keep his hands to himself.

Joyce pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping to relieve some of the tension from her headache as she continued to cry. "You should have just left me that day." She whispered.

"What are you talking about?"

"On the trail! You should have never came looking for me!" Joyce turned then and started walking across the gravel driveway to one of the fields.

Hopper's jaw went slack in disbelief. Was she implying he should have let her die? "I love you Joyce, why wouldn't I come looking for you?"

Joyce stopped and spun around so suddenly Hopper almost ran into her. "I don't want you to love me!" She shouted, pushing on his chest to create a bit of distance between them. "If you had just left me I wouldn't still be hurting! You're the only reason I fought to stay alive all those years and somehow now, when I have everything I could ever want, I'm hurting worse than I ever did when Travis was beating me!" She knew deep down none of this was his fault, but the anxiety, pain and frustration all boiling over was making her anger rush to the surface in a very selfish way. The mental struggle she was currently facing hurt far worse than the physical pain she'd endured over the years.

Hopper felt like he'd been punched in the gut and he had to swallow hard to hold back the wave of emotions suddenly slamming into him. "So now I'm worse than Travis?" The rise in his voice startled not only Joyce, but him as well.

"I didn't say that!" Joyce started shaking the more worked up she got. "You have no idea what it's like to be abandoned, to have parents that don't care if you live or die. To have an entire town look at you like you're nothing more than a piece of trash. To fight through the pain of being beaten almost daily and still manage good grades because going to college and getting out of this town was all you had to look forward to, but now I don't even have that! Everything I've worked for is going to be for nothing because I can't even sit down for ten minutes and focus on a piece of paper without wanting to throw up. It fucking hurts Hop, it hurts so goddamn bad knowing I'll always be broken, that I'll never be what you deserve."

The sting of her words caused Hopper to swallow again, his Adams apple bobbing as he blinked back tears of his own. "Joyce...please just-"

"No!" She cut him off, taking a step back. "I can't do this anymore. I feel like I'm suffocating."

"Please just talk to me." Hopper begged, his watery blue eyes searching hers desperately for answers to what was happening. One moment he was sitting at the kitchen table doing his homework like any other normal teenager, and in the blink of an eye the most important person in his life was trying to push him away. He knew she was stressed more than usual since the trial was only days away, but this was the first time he'd ever seen her like this.

"I don't want to talk to you!" Joyce yelled in frustration, a sudden pounding behind her eyes causing her to rub her hands over her face in a failed attempt to clear her blurry vision. "I'm just so tired." She sobbed. "Why didn't you just let me die? Anything is better than feeling like this."

"Don't say that." Hopper choked out, his hand instinctively reaching for her. He thought she might start to calm down if he could just hold her, but of course his touch only made her start shouting at him again.

"I said don't fucking touch me Hop! I mean it. Stay away from me!" She screamed with tears in her eyes as she struggled against the grip he currently had on her arm.

Greg had just turned down the driveway to the farm after a long exhausting shift at the station when he spotted his son off in the distance grabbing Joyce and pulling her to him. At first he thought they were playing until he heard yelling and saw Joyce start hitting him against his chest.

Quickly putting his blazer in park and cutting the engine, Greg ran across the driveway to the edge of the field where they were standing just as Joyce's tiny hand made contact with the side of his son's face.

Greg carefully placed a hand on Jim's shoulder when he saw how frantic Joyce was and the way she was twisting her wrist at an awkward angle to get away. "Jim, stop. Let her go." His authoritative voice demanded.

"Dad you don't understa-"

"Let her go before you hurt her!" Greg shouted. Very rarely did he ever raise his voice at his son, but he didn't have time to listen to an explanation when Joyce was on the verge of hysteria and looked scared to death.

Hopper loosened his grip at his father's words and within seconds Joyce was pulling away from him and running toward the east field. Instinctively Hopper took a step forward to go after her, but was stopped by Greg putting an arm across his chest.

"I don't know what the hell is going on Jim, but don't you ever touch Joyce like that again, do you hear me?" Greg knew his son's intentions hadn't been to hurt her, but he needed him to understand that after everything the poor girl had been through, that trying to control her by force in any way would only cause her to panic.

"I didn't...I wasn't…" Hopper stammered as he watched Joyce's figure disappear over the horizon.

Greg sighed at the broken expression on the boy's face and turned him so they were eye level with one another. "Listen to me son. I know you're upset and everything inside of you is telling you to go after her, but there are only two things in the direction she took off in. The tree house and that damn trailer. You need to give her some space and a chance to calm down. Whatever it is she's dealing with, she obviously needs to deal with it on her own."

Hopper sucked in a deep breath and shut his eyes as fresh tears rained down his cheeks. Not only was he still being hit with the emotions left over from Joyce saying she wanted to die, new ones were suddenly consuming every part of him when he thought about how he had treated her. "I would never hurt her…" He whispered.

Greg placed a hand on the back of his son's neck and pulled him into a hug. "I know that son. I can tell you're just scared, and sometimes that makes people do things they don't mean to."

* * *

Too fast. Joyce's heart was beating too fast. She hadn't ran like this in months, however the need to get away was too overwhelming. She knew Hopper would follow her sooner or later, but for now she needed to be alone. She needed to find a way to release the anger and stress she was feeling.

Briars and long hanging limbs caught in her shirt and smacked at her face as she ran down the old familiar trail. She jumped over the fallen log that just a few short months ago she almost died at and continued to run until she finally broke out of the woods, and the trailer that haunted her childhood stood before her.

The sight of rusted metal and overgrown grass replaced the frustration she had been feeling with full blown rage. She quickly stalked to her old bedroom window and picked up one of the smaller cinder blocks she used to climb on, throwing it through the window. Glass shattered, falling both onto the grass below where she stood and the carpet within. Carefully pulling herself through the window, she tried to avoid the leftover shards poking out from the frame and gracefully landed on her feet inside.

The smell of mildew and stale air assaulted her nose instantly. It was clear no one had been there since Travis was arrested. The carpet in the living room still had her blood stained into the fibers, along with smudges on the door frame and drops all over the kitchen floor. Picking up the baseball bat Travis kept behind the door, she gave it a roll with her wrist before grasping it firmly in her hands. The lamp in the corner was her first target. Swinging with all her might, the lamp shattered, just like her bedroom window.

A slight feeling of joy and fulfillment crept into her bones at the sight of the broken item that had once cast an eerie glow on Travis recliner. The loud sound of shattering glass did nothing for her headache however. Remembering Travis was the reason for her prolonged headaches only added fuel to the fire and she swung again, this time taking aim at the few pictures that were on the wall. One of her, Travis, and Linda when Joyce was just a few months old, one of Joyce's first birthday, and finally, one of Travis and Linda on their wedding day.

Hit after hit, Joyce destroyed everything that would have brought Travis or Linda one single ounce of happiness. The small TV in the living room, Travis's record collection, Linda's porcelain dolls, all became the victim of Joyce and her bat. She swung and screamed until her lungs burned and her arms felt heavy. When she couldn't swing anymore, she resorted to punching the walls that surrounded her, and pulling anything and everything she could reach out of cabinets and down from bookshelves, before she turned them over.

With trembling hands and exhaustion, Joyce finally stopped and took a breath. The trailer and anything inside she could reach had been destroyed. When her breathing had returned to normal, the words she had screamed at Hopper suddenly flooded her senses. She had actually told him not to touch her, that she wished he had left her to die on that trail. How could she have been so stupid? Hopper loved her, had loved her for years and Joyce didn't know if she could fix what she had said to him. He had every right in the world to raise his voice at her, to be upset with her, and all she could do now was try to make things right, if he even allowed her a chance to try.

Giving the recliner in the corner one last kick for good measure, Joyce made her way back to her room. Walking to the small vent in the corner, she easily knocked the old cover off and tossed it aside. Blindly reaching into the vent, her fingers finally came in contact with the worn out paper bag just as a fresh pang in her head caused her vision to blur. She knew she needed to go home and take her medicine. If the Hoppers even let her call their house home anymore after the way she had treated Jim.

Sliding the small paper bag into her back pocket, she took in a deep breath and climbed back through her bedroom window for the last time.

* * *

Anxious, and scared. Hopper had never truly felt these two emotions together. But today they were both smacking him in the chest with the force of a twenty horses. The sun was beginning to set and Joyce still hadn't returned home. His leg was bouncing up and down on the bottom step of the front porch, the urge to go and find her had him chomping at the bit. Greg and Mary had left almost thirty minutes ago to attend a meeting at City Hall. One they had assured him would take at least two, maybe three hours based on the docket Greg had brought home.

Hopper brought a cigarette to his lips, needing that rush of nicotine in his system. He was going to give Joyce until his smoke was gone before he went after her. Come hell or high water she was coming home tonight. Digging into his front pocket, he brought his hand up around the flame of his light as he took a deep drag from the unfiltered Camel, feeling his anxiety fade slightly as his drug of choice entered his lungs. He had two draws left when the sound of crunching gravel caught his attention and he saw Joyce slowly walking down the driveway.

He didn't stand and engulf her in a hug like she had expected him to. Instead he stayed seated, taking a final drag off of his cigarette as Joyce stopped feet away from him where she didn't move until he crushed the cigarette under the toe of his boot.

"You finish having your little temper tantrum?" He asked, his tone making her bite the inside of her cheek. He's upset and she knows it. She couldn't believe just hours ago she had not only told him not to touch her, but she had smacked him. Joyce had never been violent in her life, especially not toward him and it left an ache inside her she'd never felt before.

"Hop, I'm so sorry I hit you...I would never-"

"But you did Joyce. Not only did you tell me not to fucking touch you, you told me that you wished I had let you die in the goddamn woods. How exactly is that supposed to make me feel? I thought you were trying to go off and kill yourself for fucks sake! Do you realize what that would have done to me?" Hopper brushed at his eyes with the back of his hand not wanting her to see him cry. He was hurt, but he couldn't let his emotions get the better of him.

"Sometimes it feels like no matter what I do, I'm never going to be what you need…" Resting his elbows on his knees, he takes a second to blink back the tears he's desperately trying to hide and rubs his fingers over the bridge of his nose. "I've spent my entire life trying to show you every second of every day just how much I love you and how much you mean to me, and you basically tell me to fuck off all because I'm trying to understand what you're going through."

Joyce felt tears forming in her own eyes as his words hit her one after another. Taking a step forward, she places herself between his legs and reaches out to rest her hands on his shoulders, but he doesn't move.

"I don't want to touch you...I'm not ready for that just yet." Hopper whispered, not trusting his own voice.

Joyce moves her hands from his shoulders when she feels how tense he is and shoves them into her pockets, her eyes staring down at her shoes, his body language speaking loud and clear. "Hop, you're not going to hurt me."

"Dad thinks that I will, that I was going to...He never yells at me, and today he told me to never touch you the way I did ever again when all I was trying to do was get you to hold still for one minute and talk to me." Despite his best efforts, tears found their way down his cheeks and he almost reaches for another camel thinking the nicotine would magically fix all of his problems.

With a sigh Joyce looks to the sky and fidgets inside her pocket, the feel of the fabric against her bruised and bloody knuckles causing them to sting. "I know you were only trying to help...I'm just so fucking stressed with everything, and the stuff that happened with Lonnie and you yelling…everything hit me all at once and I freaked out." Joyce pauses to kick a rock at her feet, ignoring the fact she's crying again. "I feel like I'm falling apart...I'm constantly in pain even though Travis hasn't been able to touch me in months and everyone at school keeps finding ways to still torment me. There's just so much anger inside of me that I don't know what to do with..."

Joyce sniffed and moved to sit down on the steps beside him, using her sleeve to wipe her cheeks. "Please don't be mad at me. I'm trying...I'm trying so hard to get through this and I need you Hop...I'm so sorry." When she turns to look in his direction, she's met with his watery blue eyes and every bit of raw emotion he's feeling is laid bare for her to see. An unfamiliar pain suddenly hits her and she realizes that even after all of her rejection throughout the years, all the times she yelled at him when he'd broken one of her rules, that this truly was the first time she had ever hurt him.

Silence quickly overtook the farm when neither of them knew what to say and it wasn't until Hopper stood that Joyce noticed some of the tension between them had started to ease.

"Come here." Hopper whispered, reaching out for her.

Without hesitation, Joyce stood as he took one of her hands in his and carefully inspected her busted knuckles before pulling her against his chest and wrapping his arms around her. He'd seen her hands the moment she came walking up the driveway, but with everything going on at the time he was just relieved she was alive.

"Promise me from now on if you're having a hard time you'll talk to me. I'll always be here to listen to you and help you through anything, but you have to give me that chance. I can't lose you Joyce…you mean everything to me. You have no idea how scared I was thinking the last memory I'd have of you, was of you running away from me because I'd hurt you."

Joyce frowned, still feeling guilty. "I promise Hop, from now on I will talk with you about anything and everything."

Hopper brought her hands up to his face once more and rolled one of her knuckles between his fingers. "What did you do?"

"I um...well…" Joyce sighed, carefully slipping her hands free from his hold to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "I went to the trailer."

"Is it still in one piece?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Let's just say if Travis does come home after the trial, he's not going to have a pot to piss in."

"That's my girl." Hopper cracked a small smile and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

Joyce followed Hopper up the stairs and into the bathroom, quickly jumping onto the counter beside the sink while he rummaged around the small closet for some rubbing alcohol and cotton balls.

"It's probably going to sting." He warned, pouring the clear liquid onto a cotton ball before gently dabbing at her hands. She let out an irritated hiss as he worked his way across her knuckles, coating her various cuts and scrapes in an attempt to fight off infection.

"Thanks honey." She whispered, flexing her fingers to ease the pain.

"I can clean the cuts, but I can't really do anything about all the dirt and sweat. You're going to have to take a shower for that."

"Yeah, I bet I look gross."

Sliding down off the counter, Joyce walked over to the tub and reached for the taps, quickly turning the hot water on full blast. She was going to need all the soap in the world to get this grungy mess off of her.

"I'll be downstairs if you need me." Hopper called over his shoulder as he made his way toward the bathroom door.

"Hop?"

Stopping half way to grabbing the doorknob, Hopper turned to face her just as she pulled her shirt over her head.

"Will you...um...well, will you join me?" She asked as she continued to peel away the layers of her clothing until she stood before him completely bare. "Only if you want to that is...I would understand if you needed some more space after the way I acted today."

The words were barely out of her mouth before Hopper was pulling his own shirt off and throwing it haphazardly on the floor. He watched as she disappeared behind the blue shower curtain and quickly unbuttoned his jeans, nearly tripping over the loose denim that had pooled at his feet. Finally, his socks slid off and he pulled back the shower curtain to see Joyce had her face pointed toward the shower head. Her now shoulder length hair was cascading down her back, the stands completely soaked through in the few minutes she had been in the shower.

Hopper placed his hands on her hips as he stood behind her, relieved when she didn't startle at his touch. When she turned around to face him and she brushed an unruly strand of hair off his forehead, he noticed a dark spot on her wrist and gently grabbed her arm, pulling it down to see a hand print shaped bruise embedded in her skin, a bruise he had put there.

"Joyce I..." He started, having to swallow down the lump forming in his throat.

"I know you wouldn't honey. I know."

"I'm not him. I would never hurt you. I don't ever want you to be afraid of me."

"Jim, he would be blessed to be even a tenth of the man you are. You will never be like Travis."

With a sigh, he pulled her closer to him, his hand finding her lower back where be rubbed a soothing pattern into her skin. "I'm sorry about today, about the library. I was just so incredibly mad when I saw his lips on you. All I could think was mine...she's mine."

"That's right. I'm yours Hop. No one is ever going to change how much I love you. He took me by surprise. I never thought he would do something like that, especially in front of Karen."

Hopper reached for the bar of soap in the corner of the shower and quickly ran it under the scalding water before sliding it down her arms. "I don't want you tutoring him anymore Joyce. I'll talk to your teacher if I have to, but I don't trust him...not when it comes to you."

He was a little surprised when she willingly gave him a nod without a protest, knowing she was determined to get as many credits as possible to graduate top of their class. "I've never had to deal with other guys flirting with you or touching you, and now that we're dating it seems like guys are suddenly taking an interest in you." He mumbled, slightly ashamed at feeling the way he did.

Joyce lifted her arms to rest her hands on the back of his neck as he slid the soap down her sides and over her hips. "You're the most popular guy in school Hop, it's only natural for people to wonder why we're dating. And since people aren't as focused on bullying me anymore, they're actually taking a general interest in me as a person. Even if less than a year ago they all considered me below their standards."

"Well I don't like it." He confessed, handing her the soap when she reached for it. As she slowly worked the bar across his chest, he reached around her once more and poured a generous amount of the honeysuckle shampoo she loved so much into the palm of his hand.

"Turn around sweetheart."

Joyce couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips as he massaged her scalp. His strong fingers easily working the lather down from the top of her temples to the bottom of her neck.

"I'm scared to face Travis..." She whispered.

If her words stunned him, he didn't show it as he adjusted the shower head to rinse the shampoo from her hair.

"Its alright to be scared honey. Just remember, being in that courtroom is nowhere near as bad as what you've already been through and survived. Not to mention I'll be right behind you. So will mom and dad. I promise you, that man will never lay another finger on you."

"But what if he's found not guilty Hop? I don't know if I can handle going to school or getting a job in this town if I know there's a good chance I could run into him. I can't just stay on the farm for the rest of my life." She choked out, trying desperately to keep her breathing even.

"Shhh. You can't have a panic attack now. You might slip and fall. Just breathe. That's right honey, breathe." Hopper pulled her close once more, allowing her to place her head on his chest.

"If he's found not guilty we'll leave as soon as we graduate. We can move to a town far away where he can't find us. I'll get a job doing something or another and you'll be the amazing photographer for the town newspaper. Before you know it we'll be married with three kids and a white picket fence."

"You'd really do that for me?" She questioned, looking up to meet his eyes from her spot on his chest.

"Joyce, I've come to the conclusion that there's nothing on this earth that I wouldn't do for you. Well, besides continuing to stand under this cold water that is." He said with a smirk and she giggled. God how he loved that sound.

"Come on then handsome. Let's get dried off and find something to snack on until your parents get home. Plus I need to take my medicine."

Placing a kiss on her forehead, Hopper quickly climbed out of the shower, thankful she already knew what he was packing between his legs before the water had turned ice cold.

* * *

"You want cereal or soup?" Hopper asked as Joyce entered the kitchen, his hands holding out each item in front of him for her to choose.

Joyce shook her head with a smile and grabbed the box of cereal. "Maybe we should wait for your parents to get back. It's still kind of early, they might bring home dinner."

"I haven't eaten since lunch at school, and I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

Now that she thought about it she was pretty hungry herself. "I guess a small bowl wouldn't hurt." She said before getting two bowls down from the cupboard along with her bottle of pills.

"What's that?" Hopper asked, catching a glimpse of something shiny under the collar of her shirt.

Joyce blushed as she placed the bowls on the kitchen table before carefully moving to stand in front of him.

"Do you remember when we were eleven and the fair was in town? We went with your parents and we both ate so much fried food we thought we were going to puke on the tilt a whirl?"

"Vaguely. That was what? Seven years ago?" Hopper recalled, bringing his hands down to rest on her hips.

"Mhmmm. And you were hell bent on making sure I left there with something to remember the evening by."

Joyce watched Hopper furrow his brow as the pieces fell into place. Forgotten memories moving their way to the forefront of his mind. "The necklace."

Joyce pulled the thin gold chain out from under the collar of her shirt and a single teddy bear charm shone in the fading light of the kitchen.

"I don't remember how long we stood at that little booth. You were determined to win me a teddy bear, but knew that Travis would have destroyed it."

"I finally popped three balloons in a row and got your necklace. I can't believe you still have it." He smiled.

"Of course I do. It was the first gift you ever gave me Hop. And I guess even back then, I knew that I loved you."

"I knew it too ya know? That you were the one. I've woken up every morning for the past eight years with you being the first thought on my mind Joy."

Joyce stood on her tiptoes, stretching as far as she could to press her lips to his. He was hers. He had always been hers. Knowing what she wanted, Hopper leaned down into her touch and his lips met hers in a starving frenzy. She moaned as his hands wandered down from her hips to cup the back of her thighs and her feet were no longer on the kitchen floor. He placed her on the kitchen table and all thoughts of cereal were forgotten. He was hungry for something completely different.

Joyce wrapped her legs around his waist as Hopper trailed kisses down the side of her neck, feeling him hardening through the thin material of their sweatpants, her breathing becoming heavier with each touch of his lips.

"Jim...please."

Hopper's hands moved to her chest and palmed her as gently as he could. He wanted her more than he had wanted anything in his life right then.

"Let's go up-" The bright flash of two familiar headlights burned through the kitchen window, temporarily blinding Hopper who let out a frustrated sigh at his parents horrible timing.

"Rain check on that thought?" Joyce giggled as she placed one last kiss on his lips before sliding off the kitchen table and back onto her feet.


	19. Chapter 19

Joyce was anxious, and to make it worse she knew everyone around her could tell. It had become a habit of her to pick at her nails when her anxiety spiked and right now every nail on her hands was surrounded with a coppery sheen. She had picked and picked at her nails until they had bled and Mary had threatened to wrap band aids around all of her fingertips if she didn't stop. Just the fact that Travis was being held somewhere in this very building had put Joyce on edge to the point where she wasn't sure if she could force herself to leave the safety of Hopper's truck. Eventually, after a pep talk from Mary, countless hugs from Jim, and one threat of "If he even looks at you wrong I'll bury him under the jail." from Greg, she had mustered up the courage to walk into the stuffy brick building.

The small courthouse in Hawkins was just that. Small. Traffic tickets were being heard in the same room with the bigger cases such as breaking and entering, and child endangerment. With one judge, who had been the judge back when Greg was a teenager, they would be proceeding with the small minor cases first before dealing with the bigger and more private affairs.

Greg stood in front of his family, looking over the cases that were to be heard today and he estimated that they may be waiting a while before their case was called. He huffed internally, hoping the smaller cases would be gone through quickly. The sound of hurried footsteps caught his attention and looking up he saw Brad walking toward him, his arms full of light brown Manila folders and a coffee mug.

"Morning Hoppers, Joyce." Brad greeted, ushering the group into one of the smaller unoccupied corners of the lobby.

"Alright everyone, today is the day we finally put that...pardon my language ladies, bastard behind bars." Brad breathed out in hushed tones.

"Now, from the cases on the docket we should be starting with ours around one when Judge Cooper returns from lunch. Until then, Joyce, all I need you to do is sit and try to stay calm. I can tell you're anxious. You're acting like a caged cougar." Joyce nodded and took in a deep breath. She really needed to look into that meditation thing the hippies were nuts over. Maybe it would help her learn to control her emotions better.

After what seemed like an eternity later, Brad was signaling that it was time to enter the courtroom and Joyce felt a big hand gently touch her shoulder. Turning around she was pulled into the embrace of Hopper.

"I'm right here Joy. Nothing is going to happen to you." Hopper leaned down and placed a tender kiss on Joyce's forehead before twining their fingers. Together, they walked hand in hand into the courtroom.

Hopper sat beside his parents and jiggled his leg nervously as he watched Joyce take the stand. Up until now Travis had been placed to her right with his lawyer, which had been easier for Joyce. Being out of his line of vision allowed her to breathe, even if those breaths were hard to come by. But now, she was front and center with him in her direct line of view, and from previous experiences since his arrest, her anxiety skyrocketed any time he spoke or looked at her. Hopper couldn't help but worry that the confidence she currently showed would start to chip away the longer she sat up there and he just prayed she could make it through the whirlwind of emotions he knew were about to be thrown her way.

When she made eye contact with him instead of allowing Travis the satisfaction of seeing her falter, Hopper gave her a nod and watched as she sucked in another deep breath before Brad stood up with a folder in his hand and approached her. A few things were whispered between her and the judge, then he made his way over to a projector that faced the opposite wall.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, today the court will be hearing the matter of Joyce Horowitz against her father Travis Horowitz on the charges of child abuse, child endangerment, and attempted rape. Mr. Walker, the floor is yours." Judge Cooper stated, leaning forward in his high backed chair.

In less than a minute Brad started speaking to the full room and the sixteen jurors as an image of Joyce flashed onto the wall for everyone to see. It was an image Hopper knew all too well, the very first one he'd ever taken of her bruises and one he wished had been the last, but sadly wasn't.

Brad slowly started flipping through the images, sharing the countless stories Joyce had given him for each one of the horrific moments of torture she had suffered. Around the fifth photo, Hopper looked away and redirected his focus on Joyce who was now looking into her lap, once again picking at her fingers while she waited patiently to answer any questions Brad might ask.

Her expression hadn't changed much, but then again, he hadn't expected it to. She had literally lived through the moment currently being discussed numerous times, so he imagined at this point seeing the pictures again and hearing the stories was like hearing a song on repeat so many times it eventually blended into the background. The memory would always be there, he never expected her to forget, he just hoped she'd eventually grow to where Travis couldn't hurt her anymore, even in the form of a memory or photo.

Hopper wasn't sure if Travis' lawyer didn't fully inform him of the evidence Joyce had against him, or if he simply just didn't believe it, but the shocked look on his face at seeing the photos and the way he instantly turned his head to stare at Joyce in disbelief made Hopper do a small victory dance in his head. That was until new images filled the wall and a smug expression overtook Travis' features like the bastard was getting off on his handy work. Thankfully Joyce was too distracted still looking at her lap to see when anger quickly flooded Hopper and he had to fight to not jump over the bench and strangle the piece of shit sitting a few feet away. Apparently the shift in his mood didn't go unnoticed by his mother, because she quickly placed her hand on his knee and gently squeezed to let him know he needed to calm down. He wouldn't be any good to Joyce if she saw him getting worked up when he was supposed to be there to help keep her grounded.

It took about half an hour for Brad to sort through every photo, paying careful attention as he explained the reasoning behind each one, making sure to give the courtroom plenty of time to soak in the details and the extent of her injuries. He wanted them to know exactly what the young woman at the head of the room had gone through for eleven years and why Travis didn't deserve to walk this earth a free man.

"I know it's always easier believing someone when they present you with evidence you can actually see. Whether it's in the form of a photo, a bruise, or a scar. But abuse isn't always physical. You don't always have to hit someone to hurt them." Brad said as he flipped through a folder on the table in front of him. "Now, Joyce I'd like for you to share with us some of the things Travis did that caused you harm without him physically hitting you." Stepping out into the middle of the room, Brad moved a little closer, placing himself in front of her. "Is that alright?"

Joyce swallowed and sat up straighter, giving him a nod. "Before the physical abuse got bad… it started with missed meals. I wouldn't be allowed to eat for days at a time. I wasn't given money for lunch at school either, so I usually just sat in the corner in the cafeteria and kept to myself."

"Do you remember why Travis started doing this?" Brad asked.

Joyce rubbed her brow, the familiar pressure of a headache building. "Different reasons. I was young, around six or seven, I don't remember exactly, but it was probably because of a forgotten toy in the living room or a dish not washed correctly."

Brad held up his hand to keep her from continuing. "You we're doing dishes at six years old?"

"I think so… it was right before Linda left, so yeah it had to be around then."

Everyone was quiet for a moment before Brad spoke again. "Alright, can you remember anything other than him denying you food?"

Hopper watched as Joyce looked around the room and touched the collar of her shirt. "When I was nine I had a nightmare, which became normal after he started hitting me… I had an accident in the bed and got up to get a towel. I guess I was loud because he came out of his room yelling that I had woken him up and when he saw what had happened, he grabbed my arm and pulled me outside. It was the middle of December and I was only in a shirt and soaking wet shorts at this point. It was probably twenty degrees outside and he sprayed me with the hose saying if I was going to act like an animal that pissed in the bed he was going to treat me like one. I just remember curling up into a ball on the porch shivering while he went back inside and watched me through the window. Told me if I moved he'd keep me out there all night…"

"And how long were you actually out there?"

"Maybe twenty minutes. I remember him saying something about my lips turning blue and having a towel thrown at me. I was sick for almost a week afterwards."

Hopper felt a lump forming in his throat as he listened to Joyce tell her story. He knew there were things she'd never told him and that was understandable considering it was probably impossible for her to remember everything, but it still hurt to know that she could have died that night had Travis kept her outside for too long. To his knowledge most of Travis' abuse hadn't been life threatening, with the exception of the last time he ever touched her, so this infuriated him.

"Did Travis ever yell at you?" Brad asked.

Joyce gave a nod, quickly wiping away a stray tear that ran down her cheek. "Sorry...yes...yes sir." She wasn't sure where the sudden wave of anxiety hitting her had come from, but the confidence she'd held on to for this long was starting to crumble and it was crumbling fast. The fact Travis had been staring at her with a smirk across his face the entire time she'd been talking hadn't exactly helped the situation, nor did the fact she was having to drag up memories that were buried so deep she'd almost forgotten they existed.

Brad handed Joyce a tissue and gave her a moment to even out her breathing before they continued.

With a sniff, Joyce dabbed at her eyes and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "The yelling got so bad at times that eventually I just stopped talking altogether because I was afraid of saying the wrong thing. I got yelled at for dripping water on the floor in the bathroom after taking a shower, for not making dinner exactly how he wanted it, for not being at home on time because I had to stay after school, for not making perfect grades. No matter what I did, it was never good enough." Joyce's voice broke then as more tears found their way to the surface. "I will never understand what I did for you to hate me so much."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted as Joyce locked her eyes on Travis. "I did everything you ever asked of me. I spent countless hours in my room at your request studying to make top marks in all my classes. I kept the house clean, I cooked dinner, I put you to bed at night when you were too drunk to get off the couch. And even after everything...after the first time you ever hit me, I still craved your love and attention. I still wanted to know what it was like to be held by my father and comforted when I was scared!" Joyce hadn't realized she was sobbing and raising her voice until it was too late to stop.

"All I wanted was for you to love me, to have you tell me that you were proud of me! I never realized how much I had lost until I saw what everyone else had that I didn't, until you had beaten every last bit of innocence out of me to the point I became afraid of my own shadow! I'll never be able to get back those years you stole from me. The years I missed out on making friends, or getting invited to parties. To go a day without being in pain or knowing what it's like to grow up with a family that cares about you! The closest thing I've ever had to any kind of normalcy are the Hoppers. Had Jim not befriended me before all this started happening, there's a good chance I wouldn't be sitting here today. He offered me an escape to the hell you put me through and kept me from completely giving up on everything." Joyce paused for a second to let out a long slow breath as she wiped her cheeks with a new tissue.

"For the longest time I thought there was something wrong with me...but after experiencing a comforting touch and love for the first time, I finally realized there was never anything wrong with me except for the fact I had you as a father! If others were capable of showing me love and kindness, why couldn't you? Why did you constantly have to hurt me? Call me names? What did I do to deserve that? A little kid that didn't even know how to tie her shoes! You beat me almost every day for eleven years and I still don't know why!"

When Joyce leaned back in her chair and attempted to get her crying under control, the entire room fell silent. No one knew what to say. Even the smirk on Travis' face had vanished as he stared at his daughter in shock that she had been brave enough to stand up to him.

If Hopper thought he knew a thing about Joyce before all of this, he was sadly mistaken. It was clear that she was still broken and hurting far beyond what she showed on the surface and had been for a long time. The breakdown she'd had on Friday suddenly made a lot more sense and Hopper found himself sniffing back tears of his own when he realized just how much she'd been suffering. It hadn't just been because of the assholes at school that started the chain of events. It had been years and years of pain shoved so far down that it was only a matter of time before everything came spilling over the edge. Hopper just hoped that after today Joyce would finally allow herself to start healing. That with Travis and Linda both completely out of her life, she would try to let some of the burden she constantly carried disappear.

"Thank you Joyce, that will be all for now." Brad finally spoke, pulling everyone's attention back to the front of the room. "Your honor, at this time I would like to call James Hopper to the stand."

The judge nodded his head in agreement and Hopper stood from his seat between his parents, adjusting his suit jacket. He passed by Travis and his lawyer, fighting the urge to stop and beat the shit out of the sorry excuse for a sperm donor Joyce had been fated with. Finally reaching the Bailiff, Hopper placed his hand on the Bible and was sworn in.

"Alright Mr. Hopper, can you tell me how long you and Miss Horowitz have been friends?" Brad questioned, as he stood in front of the witness stand.

"Yes sir, I have been friends with Joyce since we were three. We met at the church day care where her parents and mine attended."

"Would you say that Joyce quickly became one of your best friends?"

"Yes sir I would."

"Can you tell me about the first time you saw the bruises on Joyce's body?"

"We were about fourteen. Joyce had gotten into the habit of helping me with my chores around the farm and when we were finished we would usually go out to the fields to goof off or whatever. One day we were playing tag and she tripped over some old dirt clods. When she fell to the ground her shirt rose up on her back and that's when I saw the bruises."

"Okay, and did you question Joyce on where they came from? On what had caused them?"

"At first I had to coax her to tell me. Then she finally gave in and said that her father hit her with a belt." Hopper stated, glaring at Travis who returned the favor.

"Did Joyce mention if this was an ongoing occurrence or a one time thing?"

"She said that it was an ongoing situation. That she was afraid to say anything because she doubted anyone would believe her. With her father's record, Joyce believed that anyone she told would consider it an act of attention seeking."

"Why didn't you tell your father, Chief of Police, Greg Hopper, about the bruises and the abuse Joyce had been suffering from?" Brad asked, turning from the judge to face Jim.

"I wanted to, but Joyce made me swear not to say anything. She was worried that if someone with any authority knew of the abuse, they would go after her father and when he was released from jail it would be worse on her. She begged me to keep it to myself and I didn't want her to not trust me, to stop coming to the farm. I didn't want her stuck in that trailer with him any more than she had to be. I was afraid of what he might do to her."

"Tell me about these photo's Jim. Am I correct when I state that you were the person who took these photographs?"

"Yes sir. Once I knew about the abuse, she requested that I take photographs of them. I'm not entirely sure why she wanted them, but I would have done anything to keep her from staying at home with what was going on so I didn't argue it. The photos were kept in a box hidden on my family's property and when she was hospitalized, I had had enough. I wasn't going to let him get away with hurting her anymore so I brought the box to my dad."

"The events which lead up to Joyce being taken home by her father were because of a fight at school?"

"Joyce was defending herself against a girl from school, which resulted in a fight and Travis was called to pick her up. When he took her home, he beat her so badly she almost died. When he tried to rape her, she broke his nose and ran down the trail between our homes, which is where I found her and took her back to the farm. That's when my parents became aware of the abuse."

"Since those events, Joyce has been staying with you and your family at the Hopper Farm correct?"

"Yes sir." Hopper replied, making sure he used his manners.

"No further questions your honor." Brad spoke, allowing Hopper to step down from the stand.

"At this time, I would like for Travis Horowitz to take the stand." Judge Cooper announced, shifting in his chair as Brad took his seat beside Joyce, and Hopper returned to his seat between Greg and Mary. Joyce sat as close to Brad as humanly possible when Travis rose to his feet. She didn't want to breathe the same air as him, matter less look him in the eye again. Travis was sworn in and took a seat on the witness stand. His eyes roamed over Joyce, making her skin crawl.

"Mr. Horowitz, after hearing the testimonies from your daughter, and Mr. Hopper, along with the evidence that has been presented today, how do you plead?"

The room watched as Travis shifted in his seat, leaning forward to be heard.

"Not guilty your honor." He called out, a shit eating grin on his face.

"Mr. Horowitz, you are aware of the evidence and eyewitness testimonies that have been brought to light today correct?"

"Yes your honor, been sitting here listening the whole time."

"And you still say that you are not guilty of child abuse, neglect, and the attempted rape of your daughter Joyce Horowitz?"

"That is correct your honor."

Judge Cooper once again adjusted in his chair, looking down his nose at the court.

"What have you to say for yourself Mr. Horowitz?"

"I never laid a finger on my daughter that I didn't have done to me. I love her. Yes, I have disciplined her like a father should when she doesn't listen, or when she earned less than honorable grades in school, but I never harmed her once in my life. As for this whole attempted rape thing, it's all lies. I was disciplining her for getting expelled from school. I caught my foot on the carpet and fell on top of her. She took it the wrong way. The situation was completely accidental."

Joyce was furious. How dare that man sit there and lie in front of all these people. How dare he blatantly lie about what he did to her. Her hands were on the arm of her chair, about to push herself out of her seat when Brad's hand came to lay on top of hers, willing her not to move and to let him do his job.

Judge Cooper placed his glasses down on the desk in front of him after both lawyers took turns asking Travis a series of questions. "The court will now take a moment to allow our jury to regroup into our back office to discuss the charges against Mr. Horowitz. We will reconvene in one hour."

Joyce watched as Travis was led through a door to the left of the witness stand and as soon as his body was blocked by the Bailiff, she felt someone approach her. Turning to her right, her eyes were level with Hopper's broad frame and she instinctively dropped her forehead against his chest, breathing in the familiar, safe, scent of him.

"Come on Joy, we're going to talk with Brad and go from there. Are you hungry?"

Joyce nodded, wanting to do anything to get out of the same building as Travis.

Patsy's was just slowing down from the lunch rush when their group arrived. Joyce, The Hoppers, and Brad were all tucked away into a round corner booth, everyone still a little on edge. Joyce had been picking at the waffle she had ordered, not sure if her body could handle her eating at the moment while Mary, Greg, and Brad conversed about the trial among themselves. Hopper placed his hand on Joyce's thigh, giving a light squeeze of reassurance. Moving his arm to wrap around her shoulders, Joyce reached up and intertwined their fingers.

"It's going to be okay. After today, you won't have to worry about him."

"We don't know that yet Hop. The jury could side with Travis."

"Joy, it's Hawkins, there's no way in hell they're going to rule in favor of a child abuser. You got this honey." Hopper soothed, placing a kiss on her forehead, pulling her closer. Doing everything in his power to protect her.

The courtroom only held about thirty people in attendance, including the jury. Joyce took her place beside Brad once again, feeling Travis' eyes on her the moment he walked through the door. He purposely wore a smile on his face, knowing it would make her uncomfortable and a sick feeling stirred in her gut.

Once everyone was standing behind their chairs, Judge Cooper entered the courtroom. "Before the Jury gives us their ruling, I would like for it to be known that child abuse cases are the ones I dread hearing the most. There is no reason whatsoever, that a child should have hands put on them for any reason. A parent is supposed to love and protect their children. Not do what we saw here today. With that being said, Jury we're ready for your ruling."

A tall, blonde women stood from the jury stand clutching a white piece of paper. Clearing her throat, she began to speak.

"In the case of Joyce Horowitz, verses Travis Horowitz on the charges of child abuse, child endangerment, and attempted rape, we find the defendant guilty."

Joyce released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Guilty. They actually believed her. A sudden wave of emotions slammed into her all at once and she couldn't help the quiet sob that found its way up her throat as fresh tears pooled in her eyes. A weight she'd been carrying around for most of her life was finally lifted.

The sound of Judge Cooper's voice gathered everyone's attention once more. "The maximum sentence for Child abuse, child endangerment, and attempted rape add up to a total of six years in prison in the state of Indiana. Mr. Horowitz, if it were up to me, you would never see the light of day outside of a prison cell. Court adjourned."

Judge Cooper slammed his gavel down, signaling the end of the trial and for what felt like the first time in her life, Joyce exhaled without fear. Three pairs of arms quickly wrapped around her, but when the sound of a yell shot through the courtroom, Joyce, along with The Hoppers, glanced toward the commotion. Travis had jerked away from the bailiff and was making his way toward them. Without a second thought Hopper's instincts kicked in and he placed himself in front of Joyce protectively, his fist connecting with Travis' jaw when he tried to grab her.

Travis dropped like a sack of potatoes and Greg was on him in an instant, flipping him over onto his stomach and pinning his hands at the small of his back. Travis looked up at Joyce, before spitting blood onto the carpet in front of her.

"See you in six years princess." Travis sneered as he was yanked to his feet and dragged to the holding rooms behind the courtroom.

"Honey are you okay?" Hopper anxiously asked, placing his hands on her cheeks before he pulled her in and cradled her head to his chest.

"I will be." She whispered into his shirt.

Greg moved to their side when he knew Travis couldn't get away again and placed a hand on Jim's shoulder. "Great reflexes there son. I'm proud of you. I'm proud of both of you."

Hopper startled slightly when Joyce suddenly pulled away from him and turned to wrap her arms around his mother, a look of surprise on her face.

"Thank you...for everything." Joyce said, her voice muffled into Mary's shoulder as the older woman held her tighter and rested her cheek against the side of her head.

"You don't have to thank me honey, it's what mothers do. They protect their babies."

"He won't ever touch you again Joyce. You can breathe now." Greg stated, placing his hand on her shoulder. Joyce pulled away from Mary then and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't think nothing of it darlin'. Like Mary said, parents protect their kids, and come hell or high water, we always will."


	20. Chapter 20

"Ow shit!" Hopper exclaimed as he quickly pulled his hand away from the pan that was currently housing the main course of Mary and Greg's anniversary dinner.

"You got it under control there son?" Greg called from the kitchen table, where he was currently enjoying a crown and coke, while Mary sipped on a glass of red wine.

"Yeah dad, I got it, just caught me by surprise is all." Hopper glanced to his left as Joyce pulled fresh rolls out from the oven. Tonight was Greg and Mary's twenty third wedding anniversary and it was hard to imagine the two of them being married for that long when they both acted like they were in their twenties more than their forties most of the time. Not sure what to get them however, Joyce and Hopper had decided to give them the one gift they could, a night all by themselves in the house. No kids, plenty of alcohol, and a hot meal were all the elder Hoppers needed to have an amazing anniversary. Not to mention, it gave Jim and Joyce an excuse to sleep at the tree house for the first time in months.

Hopper placed his dad's medium well steak onto a plate followed by a baked potato before handing the plate off to Joyce where she spooned green beans onto it and tossed a roll on top. Together, the two of them placed the plates in front of their respectful owners and to finish the night off right, Joyce carefully sat three lit candles in the center of the table and moved to Hopper's side.

"Happy Anniversary!" Both Jim and Joyce crowed, happy that they could do a little something for the parental figures in both of their lives. They watched as Greg took Mary's hand in his and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

"And that's our queue to head out. Don't make me a big brother tonight okay?" Hopper laughed, barely ducking in time to miss the green bean that flew from Greg's fork as they made their way out of the kitchen.

"See you two sometime tomorrow!" Joyce called and grabbed her and Hopper's packed bags for the night. Opening the front door, the two dashed down the front porch and out into the gravel driveway. The trail leading to the tree house was slightly overgrown from disuse and Hopper stepped in front of Joyce, stomping down on any briars that could possibly scratch up her legs.

"Hop, it's not that big of a deal, it's just some briars." Joyce said as Hopper theatrically stomped ahead of her, crushing everything in his path.

"It's not nothing Joy, can't be having my woman's legs scratched up. I must defend thee from the imposing briars!" He laughed, stepping up and over a fallen tree limb. Holding out his hand, he helped her step over it and added cutting it down to his list of things to do once the weather turned nice.

Within a few steps, their tree house came into view and Hopper let out a sigh of relief to find the place was still standing in one piece. It had been a mild winter so far to say the least, but Hawkins usually got snow up until March, so there was still a chance for a blizzard.

"We need to bring the clippers out here and take those limbs down." Joyce commented as she put her foot on the bottom rung of the ladder.

"You let me worry about that missy. I'm the man of the house, it's up to me to make sure it doesn't cave in on us." Hopper called from beneath her, playfully slapping her ass as she crawled through the hatch of the tree house, her exaggerated yelp and giggles causing him to chuckle. It was a sound that he never knew he needed to hear until he got the opportunity to experience it almost daily.

"Ugh, this place is a mess..." The groan that Joyce huffed out made Hopper do a quick scan around the small space once inside and roll his eyes.

"It's not even that bad Joyce." The only change the place had endured over the last few months was a thin layer of dust on the floor and shelves, and the sheets needed to be changed on the pull out. Other than that, the room looked no different from the years Joyce practically lived there, with the exception of her belongings and many books she used to keep piled on the small table beside the couch.

Hopper held his hand out to trade Joyce the lantern he was holding in exchange for the clean sheets and comforter, taking it upon himself to fix up the bed.

Joyce wouldn't admit it, but being back in the tree house spiked her anxiety, the smell alone made her feel weird. She'd grown accustomed to the warmth and safety of the farm, and while the tiny box twenty feet in the air she once called home had a lot of wonderful memories, it still held on to some of her worst.

"Hey." Hopper called, tossing a pillow at her when he noticed her staring at the hundreds of pictures they had taken over the years still littering the walls. Joyce startled when the sack of fluff hit her arm and turned her head in his direction to see him pointing at her hand.

Remembering the lantern, Joyce placed it on the table her books once resided and reached into her pocket to pull out the lighter she had stolen from Hopper earlier in the day, lighting the small wick inside and adjusting the flame to the perfect setting before placing the glass back around the top of it.

"Give it." Hopper held out his hand just as she was shoving the lighter back into her pocket and she shook her head, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

"Don't make me start tickling you." Hopper threatened, kicking off his boots before rounding the end of the bed.

The hair on the back of Joyce's neck stood at attention at just the thought of one of his notorious tickle attacks and quickly retrieved the lighter back from inside her pocket, knowing it would end in her almost peeing her pants or laughing so hard she couldn't breathe, and neither of those sounded appealing.

Hopper grinned at the small victory and stashed the lighter, along with his pack of camels on the table beside the lantern, watching as Joyce slipped off her own shoes and started rummaging through her bag for something to change into. They had the rest of the night to themselves, something that didn't happen very often now that Joyce was living in his parents' home. That, and their strict set of rules basically left them with zero privacy and Hopper wasn't about to let this moment go to waste with her getting comfy and instantly falling asleep.

The feel of Hopper's hips pressing against Joyce's backside as she bent over made her drop the nightshirt she'd been holding and stand up straight, her right arm snaking around the back of his neck as she dropped her head to rest against his shoulder with her eyes closed. She hummed in contentment, the warmth of his chest radiating into her back bringing her a sense of comfort.

"Want me to read to you?" Hopper asked, placing a soft kiss to the side of her neck. Joyce sighed and turned in his hold to wrap her arms around his waist, her face smothered into his flannel as she inhaled his scent deeply.

A muffled sound met Hopper's ears and he laughed, pulling away from her slightly. "Was that a yes?" She gave him a wordless nod and he untangled himself from her to flop down onto the bed, waiting for her to grab whatever book he'd seen her toss into her bag before leaving the farm.

Being in a treehouse without electricity didn't give them many options for entertainment unfortunately. They could play cards, work on a puzzle, even relax and listen to music, but music would only tire Joyce quicker. Reading together meant Hopper could enjoy holding his girlfriend while making her laugh at the funny voices he'd use for the characters, and undoubtedly keep her awake and interested.

When Joyce finally joined him on the bed, now changed into more comfortable clothes with the new book she'd gotten from the library clutched in her grasp, Hopper pulled the comforter over their legs and let her settle against his side.

Around the third chapter, Hopper reached across Joyce's body for one of his cigarettes as he continued to read, surprising himself at how invested he already was in the story. Joyce was kind enough to light the unfiltered camel so he wouldn't have to put the book down and he quickly inhaled a lungful of smoke. Taking another drag, he passed the cigarette to her and scooted a little further down the bed to get comfortable before turning the page and starting chapter four.

A few paragraphs in and Joyce was sitting up to flick ashes into an old soda can on the floor beside the bed. "You know, I'm pretty sure I feel exactly like Charlie the moment he rips open that candy bar and sees he has the last golden ticket."

Hopper chuckled and took back the cigarette when she handed it to him. "Oh really?" He asked curiously, turning his head to exhale smoke from his lungs so it didn't get in her face.

"Really. I'm sure it's the same exact feeling I had when your parents handed me the custody papers. At first I was shocked, then happy, then I was conflicted. Just like Charlie when he thinks he should sell the ticket because his family needs the money, but he also wants to go to the factory with Joe."

God she was adorable. One of the many things Hopper loved about her was the way she always perceived things so differently than him. "I love you."

Joyce blushed and stubbed out the cigarette into the can before righting herself and giving him a kiss. "I love you too, more than you'll ever know."

At her words, he closed the book and set it aside, cupping her cheeks to bring her lips back to his, the taste of the camel they'd just shared still lingering on her tongue. Hopper's mind instantly flooded with memories of their first kiss, one they shared on this very couch many months ago, one very different from what they were sharing now. The shy, innocent girl he'd grown up with was long gone and all that remained was a strong confident woman that knew the exact angle to stroke her tongue against his to make him twitch and moan.

They stayed that way for a while, taking their time exploring each others mouths with gentle sucks and licks, only coming up for air when needed before connecting again, and Hopper couldn't get enough. Something about touching and being touched by Joyce brought him a high he couldn't explain. She was an unknown drug he needed to survive and after everything they had experienced with one another over the last few months it was a miracle he managed to make it this long without being able to touch her this way.

"I want you Hop..." Joyce's quiet voice suddenly breaks through the silence of the room causing Hopper to tense, unsure at first if he had heard her correctly.

Hopper swallowed before leaning back just enough to see her face and was met with her flushed expression. Her chest was rising and falling heavily, her lips slightly swollen, and the ring around her eyes was once again blown like it had been on New Years. He reached out to brush a sweaty strand of hair behind her ear, carefully studying the way she was watching him. "Are you sure?"

Joyce's lower lip found its way between her teeth and she gave him a nod, a half smile curling at the edges of her mouth. The action instantly made Hopper's erection twitch against his jeans and he slid his fingers down the side of her face to touch her cheek, his thumb caressing against her skin lovingly. He wanted this more than anything, had wanted this since he was fifteen years old, but the thought of it actually happening suddenly made him nervous.

Movement across his back brought him out of his thoughts and he almost purred at Joyce's nails raking over his shoulders. "Do you not want to?" She asked, picking up on his hesitation.

Hopper smiled and thrust his hips between her legs to show her exactly how much he wanted her. "Joyce I've dreamt about this moment for years...I just want to make sure you're ready."

A shiver crawled up Joyce's body when his hard on brushed against her, the tips of her toes tingling at the contact. "I don't want to wait anymore."

When Joyce grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, Hopper went to do the same with hers and that's when she noticed his hand shaking and gently wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "We can go back to reading if you want."

"What?...No, shit Joyce, I want this, God do I want this." He admitted, a blush covering his face. Not wanting her to change her mind because he didn't have his shit together, he quickly continued what he'd been doing before she grabbed him and removed her shirt. "I just want this to be good for you."

Joyce smiled and sat up to give him a kiss. "I trust you."

"I don't think you understand…" Hopper huffed at himself, flexing his fingers to ease his nerves. How was she more calm about this than he was? The last time they messed around she practically curled in on herself to hide the moment she was fully exposed to him, now she was the one with all the confidence. How was he supposed to explain to her that he was terrified of hurting her? That he knew for a fact after having his fingers inside of her this wasn't going to be as enjoyable as she was probably hoping it would be? For the first time in his life, Hopper was wishing his dick was smaller and he's pretty sure no other man on earth had ever wished such a thing.

"Explain to me what's going on Hop, because I'm not really sure what's happening." The smile once on Joyce's lips was now replaced with a look of worry and Hopper cursed inwardly at himself for ruining this.

When Joyce turned to reach for her shirt from the floor, Hopper touched her shoulder to stop her and sighed. "I'm sorry I'm screwing this up, I just don't want to hurt you."

"You're not screwing this up, just calm down for a second." Joyce knew he needed to relax, she could feel how tense he was just from having her hand on the back of his neck. "Listen." She started, moving them so she was seated in his lap, her fingers lightly stroking through the back of his hair. "Just go slow okay?"

Hopper clenched his jaw, his palms sliding up her bare thighs. "Going slow doesn't change the fact that I'm not exactly a small guy Joyce, and you're tiny, it's going to hurt. Two of my fingers were uncomfortable for you."

Joyce sighed and dropped her forehead to his. "Remember what I said on New Years? We have all the time in the world to get this right, but if we don't start somewhere it's never going to happen. I'm not stupid Hop, I know how this works and I trust you. I know you'll stop if I tell you to, and I know you'll be careful."

Hopper brought a hand up to thread his fingers through her hair and brushed it behind her ear, knowing she was right. If he continued to think this way he'd end up being a virgin for the rest of his life. "Are you sure I didn't ruin the mood?" He asked with a pitiful smile.

"I'm sure." She grinned and shifted off of his lap to lay on the bed beside him, making quick work to slide her sleep shorts and panties down her legs. When Hopper took in the sight of her completely naked he bit his lip and stood to pull his wallet out of his back pocket, retrieving the condom his father had given him. Tossing it onto the bed beside her, he dropped his wallet along with the rest of his clothes to the floor and crawled over top of her, licking her lower lip before settling between her legs. He took his time kissing her as slow as possible, teasing her when she pressed against his mouth harder by pulling back slightly to watch her pout just so he could nip her lip.

"Hop." Joyce whined, desperately trying to slide her tongue into his mouth. The sweetest moan drifted up her throat when he finally allowed her tongue to stroke against his and he couldn't help it when his hips flexed, his erection slipping across her wet folds and over her clit. The contact made Joyce pull away from him with a sharp gasp and Hopper grabbed the back of her knee to bend her leg, pushing it forward so the underside of his cock slid through her wetness and over her clit again but at a different angle. He did this several times, watching as her eyes fell shut and her lip found its way between her teeth with each agonizingly slow pass.

When she started shaking, he leaned forward on an elbow and kissed her neck, letting go of her leg to grab her hip as she hooked her ankle over his waist and started moving in time with his thrusts. Before he knew what was happening, Joyce was gripping the back of his hair roughly and moaning his name, her hips jerking against him uncontrollably.

"Fuck baby did you just come?" Hopper groaned in disbelief, his fingers digging into the skin at her hip to keep her still when he felt himself getting close.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She panted, attempting to catch her breath as shocks from her orgasm still shot through every nerve ending in her body.

"Don't you dare apologize. You have no idea how sexy that was." Hopper said, watching as she rubbed a hand over her face and bent her knees when her legs kept shaking. Shifting lower to avoid accidentally rubbing his erection against her, he remained between her legs and placed his elbows on the bed at her ribs, carefully lowering himself to her chest so he could hold her without crushing her under his weight.

Joyce instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the top of his head as she tried to will her body to calm down.

Spending a few minutes rubbing his hand up and down her leg, along with placing soft kisses across her collarbone and neck, Hopper was finally able to help soothe her shaking and she let out a content sigh before blindly reaching out over the bed.

Hopper laughed and grabbed the condom that she'd been trying to find, laying it on her stomach. "It usually helps if you open your eyes."

Joyce giggled, resting her hand over the foil packet. "Just give me a minute to feel my toes again and I will."

Little details like Joyce's breath hitching right before she came, her uncontrollable shaking after, and the fact that her toes apparently went numb as a result of her orgasms, were all things Hopper found himself absolutely adoring about her. They were things that he knew he wouldn't have been able to experience with anyone else, because they were individual things that made up the amazing woman lying beneath him, the woman that had allowed him into her life fourteen years ago and still consumed every bit of his existence.

Joyce threading her fingers through his hair pulled him from his thoughts and he smiled down at the hooded brown eyes silently asking him what was going on inside his head. Knowing they couldn't lay like that forever or Joyce would most definitely start falling asleep, Hopper gave her a quick kiss to reassure her that everything was fine before drifting a hand down her body to brush against her clit, trying to gauge how sensitive she was.

She jumped at the touch and gripped his left bicep when he started running a finger through her folds, spreading her wetness around before slowly sliding the digit inside her. He took a few minutes to work in a second finger and saw her wince like she had the first time he'd done this. "Move against me when you're ready." He whispered, keeping his hand still as he kissed down her neck to help her relax.

With careful movements, Joyce started lifting her hips, allowing his fingers to slide in and out of her until the dull ache started to subside. "I just want you inside me Hop, please." She begged and held out the condom for him to take.

Hopper took the condom, but didn't give in to her pleas. All it took was one scissor of his fingers for her to tense up, starting the process of trying to stretch her as painless as possible all over again.

"Not yet." Watching her come just from having his dick rub against her had definitely eased some of the stress he'd been feeling about hurting her, but he was still having an inner battle with his conscious the longer he watched her features strain between little bouts of pleasure and mostly pain every time he angled his fingers differently.

When he started rubbing her clit with his thumb, Joyce reached down to grab his wrist and made him stop with a heavy pant. That familiar ache was growing in her gut and she didn't want to come again unless he was inside her. "Stop teasing me." She demanded with a pout, sneaking her free hand out to wrap her fingers around his erection.

Hopper jerked his hips slightly at the contact and gasped, being hard for so long made the slightest touch almost hurt. "Joyce, wait…" Sliding his fingers out of her, he finally ripped open the condom and carefully removed her hand from around him with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" She asked, watching him as he stroked himself a few times before rolling the condom down his length.

"Nothing." He said with a smile, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss as he settled between her legs. "It was just a little sensitive." Picking up on her worry, he gripped the base of his cock and rubbed the tip against her slick entrance. "Ready?"

Joyce shivered at the contact and silently nodded, her fingers threading through his hair when he kissed her chin, across her jaw and down her neck. "Tell me if it hurts or if you need to stop." Hopper murmured into her ear as he thrust forward just a tiny bit and was instantly met with the resistance of her tight walls. Continuing to kiss over her shoulder, he inched into her further and froze when she whimpered softly against his throat. A sound of pain, not pleasure.

Lifting his body enough to see her face, he brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. He barely even had the head of his dick inside her and she was already hurting. "Do you want me to stop?"

Joyce stubbornly shook her head and slid a hand from his hair to rest on his arm.

When he attempted to go deeper she dug her nails into his skin and gasped, her thighs pressing hard enough against his hips that he could feel her shaking. "Joyce..." He whispered, watching as she closed her eyes and bit her lip, the hand that had been resting on the back of his neck was now balled into a fist in the sheet beneath them.

"It's ok Hop." She said after catching her breath, her eyes still closed.

Hopper stayed frozen, gently cupping her cheek and stroking her jaw with his thumb. "Joyce look at me." He knew she wouldn't admit she was in pain, she never did. Always hiding behind the face of a strong woman not willing to admit defeat.

"I don't want to hurt you. Not ever." He said when she finally opened her eyes.

Joyce turned her head to kiss his hand that was touching her face. "I don't think there's really any way around that Hop. Doesn't help that you're so goddamn big either." She said with a wince, unconsciously having moved her hips.

With a sigh, Hopper pulled out of her, not missing the look of confusion on her face. "What are you doing?" She asked, bringing a hand out to grab his shoulder so he wouldn't leave. Hopper gripped her side and moved to lay on his back, pulling her on top of him where she straddled his thighs.

"This way you can be in control." He suggested, placing his hands on her hips where he rubbed the skin there lovingly.

Joyce wrapped her fingers around his length, stroking him a few times before shifting and placing him back at her entrance. He could tell she was nervous taking charge, never having been in control of anything in her life really.

Joyce took a deep breath and started to slowly sink down on him, stopping once she reached the point where they had stopped before. Hopper squeezed her thighs, sitting up so his back was against the couch cushions and placed a kiss on her collarbone. "Just go slow." He whispered, groaning unintentionally when she sank down on him farther, the sensation taking him by surprise.

Instead of trying to take more, she shifted back up and down again a few times, slowly going deeper with each thrust.

Hopper had his arms wrapped around her back and his face buried in the crook of her neck. His fingers digging into her skin every time his dick would disappear inside her little by little. "Fuck…" He breathed, lifting his head to kiss her hard as he thrust into her slightly.

Joyce cried into his mouth and tensed at the sudden movement, it feeling like he was going to tear her in half. "Hop!" Her thighs instantly locked against him, her entire body shaking as she tried to focus on anything but the pain between her legs.

"Shit, honey I'm sorry… are you okay?" With a pant he pressed his forehead to hers and rubbed his free hand over her back, feeling guilty for moving.

Without a word, Joyce sucked her lower lip between her teeth and finally took all of him. Hopper had to bend his knees to keep from thrusting into her again and let out a groan, dropping his head back against the couch with his eyes closed. She was so tightly snug around him in that moment he had to fight to not come and the fact he could feel her practically breathing through his dick made that extremely difficult.

Joyce spent a few seconds trying to adjust to being stretched to her limit, then leaned forward to kiss his exposed neck as she started riding him at a slow pace. When her lips left his skin, he opened his eyes to see her face.

Her features still showed discomfort and he already felt himself getting close the longer she moved up and down the length of him. Pushing on her hips to make her lean back some and give him access to touch her, he reached down to rub against her clit with his thumb, but froze immediately at the sight of blood coating the condom. "Stop, stop…Joyce, wait." He pleaded, trying to get enough air in his lungs to think straight.

Joyce stilled, catching the look of horror on his face and started to worry. "Oh God, what?" She asked, looking around frantically.

"You're bleeding…"

Joyce looked down between them, her eyes growing wide at the sight. "Isn't that supposed to happen?"

"Fuck, I don't know! I've never done this before." He said in a panic. "I'm sorry...Jesus, why didn't you say anything?"

"Because…" She lifted her hips, testing to see if moving still hurt. "It wasn't so bad anymore."

Hopper grabbed her thigh to stop her. "Joyce-"

Quickly crushing her lips against his, she successfully shut him up and slammed her hips down onto him. Hopper lost all train thought then, sitting up more to wrap an arm around her shoulders while placing a hand on her ass.

Hopper watched as she leaned her head back and moaned for the first time since they started, the exposure of her neck making him remove his hand from her ass to rest against the side of her throat. His thumb rubbed over the hollow of it, finding it extremely sexy as she rode him a little faster. He pressed down carefully with his thumb, hearing the moment her breath hitched due to the slight cut off of air and groaned loudly when she clamped around him at the same time.

"Jim…" She gasped, clawing her nails into his back.

"No…Joyce…" Hopper whimpered and pulled her against his chest, meeting her thrust for thrust for a second before spilling into the condom helplessly with a growl that spread goosebumps throughout Joyce's body. The moment his name fell from her lips he knew it was game over. He didn't even have a chance to focus on bringing her some kind of pleasure before he was collapsing against the back of the couch, rubbing his hands over his eyes trying to catch his breath. "Sweetheart..." He grunted, wrapping his arms back around her. "You have to stop saying my name like that...I can't handle it."

Joyce lifted her hips, allowing him to slide out of her with a sigh. Every part of her body suddenly aching. "I couldn't help it." She admitted with a tired smile and placed a quick kiss to his forehead before moving to lay on the bed.

Hopper stood to remove the condom and tossed it in the little trash can in the corner of the tree house, the amount of blood covering the latex reminding him she might be hurt. "Are you sure you're alright?" He asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice as he grabbed the dirty sheet from the floor to wipe his hands with before bringing it over to where she was laying.

"Just a little sore." Thankfully nothing had gotten on the bed, but Joyce's thighs and the top of his own were covered in red smears and blotches. As soon as the soft cotton touched her skin, she blushed and took the sheet from him to clean the mess up herself. Not wanting her to get even more embarrassed, Hopper found his discarded boxers and pulled them up his legs and over his hips before laying down beside her. His fingertips drifted across her collarbone and up her neck to hook under her chin, making her look at him when she dropped the now stained sheet to the floor.

"Do you want me to look and make sure I didn't do something wrong?" He asked hesitantly, watching the current blush on her face turn darker. His intentions weren't to make her uncomfortable and he frowned slightly, legitimately afraid he had really hurt her.

"Hop, it's ok. I'm not bleeding anymore and everything I feel im sure is completely normal, please don't worry." Joyce rolled away from him to stand on shaky legs as she retrieved her underwear and T-shirt, wincing when she had to bend her knees to get dressed. "And nothing you did was wrong." She offered as she crawled under the covers and snuggled into his side, her head resting on his shoulder. "I love you."

Hopper still wasn't convinced, but knew how pointless it was to try and argue with her if she said everything was fine. "I love you too Joy."

With a yawn, Joyce kissed his shoulder and shut her eyes, feeling completely exhausted. With her safely against him, it didn't take long for Hopper's worry to ease as he focused on her even breathing and allowed himself to fall asleep.

00000

The walk back to the farm the next morning was interesting to say the least. For one, Hopper had to somehow wash their dirty laundry without his parents seeing or there would most definitely be questions if they noticed blood all over the sheet, and two, the way Joyce was moving was a dead give away something had happened. They would probably assume she was hurt at first, then instantly know the truth the moment they both started blushing and Hopper really didn't want to deal with his father's teasing.

"Joyce is there anything I can do? Because mom and dad are going to know something is up the second they see you walk into the house." Hopper adjusted the strap on Joyce's bag that was slung over his shoulder when the farm came into sight.

Joyce winced and tried to step differently in hopes it would ease the discomfort between her legs. "It's not like I can help it, Hop." She said with a sigh, not understanding why everything was hurting more now.

"I know that honey, I just feel bad." Hopper had just reached the steps leading onto the porch when he felt Joyce grab his hand, making him turn around to face her.

"Well stop. I'm fine, ok? I just need to take a hot bath or something and relax for a little bit."

Hopper reached down to touch her jaw, giving her a quick kiss before resting his forehead against hers. "Promise you're alright?"

"I promise, now help me up the steps." She demanded playfully, holding onto his arm as they made their way inside.

Upon entering the house, Hopper noticed the temperature in the foyer was just as cold as it had been outside. The hallway and kitchen were darker than normal as well. Kicking off his shoes and dropping their bags beside the stairs, he poked his head into the kitchen looking for his mother who was usually sitting at the table enjoying a cup of coffee this time of morning. He knew his father was gone since his blazer was missing from the driveway.

"Mom?" He called out, making his way down the hallway where he saw a light flickering from the sitting room.

"In here honey." Mary's voice sounded as he came around the corner and saw her sitting on the couch under a blanket reading, a rarely lit fire burning in the fireplace.

"The powers out?" He asked, testing the light switch on the wall before stepping into the middle of the room, the heat of the fire warming his face almost instantly. Joyce joined the two of them, choosing to lean against the back of a chair to not alert Mary to the way she was moving.

Mary sat up with a sigh, placing her book face down in her lap. "It's been going in and out since last night. Your father left a few hours ago to look into it. Apparently a new company bought the old Hawkins Lab a few weeks ago and they've been overloading the power grid."

Hopper walked over to the fireplace to roll a log and brought the flames back to life as he listened to his mother. He had heard rumors at school about a company coming to Hawkins to test medical equipment, but didn't think it was serious enough to cut power to the entire town.

"Need me to grab some more wood from outside?" He offered, noticing there were only two more logs laying on the bricks. Even with a fire going it was still chilly in the house, but he didn't want to risk anyone getting sick.


	21. Chapter 21

Joyce found herself slightly irritated when she woke up and learned she had a surprise doctor's appointment. To her knowledge, she wasn't supposed to have another check-up for at least a month and she eyed Hopper suspiciously as she sat across from him at the kitchen table picking at her food. She knew he was worried, but he could have at least spoken to her about it instead of inconveniencing Mary and pulling her from her first two classes at school.

With a sigh, she forced down the rest of her breakfast, dropped her plate in the sink and went to grab her coat. Something had felt off ever since she stepped foot inside the courthouse a week ago and she couldn't seem to shake the awkward feeling coursing through her. Maybe she was still paranoid about Travis showing up at any moment or Linda somehow getting custody over her. Hopefully after settling back into school with a normal schedule and not having to deal with tutoring Lonnie anymore, she would start to experience what it was like to live a life without fear, a life without crippling anxiety and self-doubt.

Strong arms wrapping around her from behind stirred her from her thoughts and she instantly melted against the warmth of Hopper's chest.

"Mom said the appointment shouldn't take too long, so I'll be able to see you at lunch, okay?" Hopper kissed the top of her head and she slowly turned in his embrace as Mary went upstairs to grab some paperwork before they left.

"You can't come with me?" Joyce whispered, snuggling her cheek into his shirt.

Hopper could tell she was nervous and took a moment to just hold her. After spending days in the hospital after Travis beat her, he knew she didn't like being fussed over or poked and prodded. "Everything will be alright sweetheart. Mom will be there with you and you'll see me before you know it. I can't miss any more of my classes."

Joyce knew she was being clingy, which was something most people would find annoying, but she couldn't help it. Hopper had been the only constant in her life since she was three and it became a habit over the years to seek comfort in him when things got difficult.

"Fine." She grumbled and let him go to open the front door. Once outside, Hopper walked her over to his mother's car and waited for her to get seated before dropping her book bag into the floorboard between her feet.

"It's only a few hours honey, you'll be fine. I just want to make sure that everything possible is being done so you won't have to suffer from these headaches anymore. I'm tired of seeing you in pain."

"I know Hop. Next time just talk with me about it okay? No more blackmailing me with your mom." Joyce smiled, reaching for the front of his shirt and pulling him down to her level where she placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." Hopper made to move when she got in one more quick kiss just as his mom was walking to the car.

"Get going Jim or you're going to be late." Mary laughed, looking at her son who was completely in over his head when it came to any matter where Joyce was concerned.

"Alright, I'm going, I'm going. Hey, if Joyce is feeling up for it, maybe you could stop at Pasty's after her doctor's visit and pick up lunch for us?" Hopper asked, another smile forming on his lips.

"We'll figure all that out later. Now go to school!"

"Alright! Be careful, I love you guys."

"Love you too." They said in unison.

00000

Joyce is quiet as Mary pulls down the driveway and out toward the main road, her heart focused on the blue pick up in front of them. She can tell Hopper is singing in the cab, because every once in awhile his head begins to move when he really gets into it. When they stop at the first traffic light in town, she catches Hopper glancing in his rear view mirror and he blows her a kiss in the reflection, which causes her to break her silence, a giggle escaping her lips as she blows one back at him.

"I can't get over how happy the two of you are now." Mary fusses, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Joyce. "Don't get me wrong, he's always been over the moon about you, but here lately it just seems like those feelings have evolved into something more. Like more than they were a few months ago. The two of you really do love each other."

Joyce could feel her cheeks turning red. Her love for Hopper had indeed evolved, especially since the tree house. She not only needed him emotionally, but physically as well. The brake lights of Hopper's truck flared to life as he threw on his signal and turned into the school parking lot. The sound of his horn met their ears and he quickly waved them goodbye. Joyce couldn't help but feel a little tug at her heart. She knew it was crazy, feeling this anxious just being away from him, but she couldn't help it in the slightest.

When Mary continued on down the road and drove past Joyce's doctor's office, she did a quick double take and pointed out the window.

"Are we stopping somewhere before we go to my appointment?"

"No honey, we're going to see a different doctor today. He's a specialist that your doctor recommended for extreme cases. Hopefully they will be able to figure out what's causing the headaches and get them to stop."

Great. Just great. Not only did I wake up to a surprise appointment, but it's with a doctor who I've never met and at a place I've never been. Joyce thought to herself as she huddled down further into her jacket, pulling it around her like a life vest. A few moments later, Mary is taking a right and pulling into the parking lot of what Joyce thought was the Hawkins Lab.

"What are we doing here? I thought this is where they make medical equipment?" Joyce voiced, looking around the parking lot. She wasn't sure what it was, but the place gave her the creeps.

"Yes, but they have a doctor's office on site. I'm assuming if they're testing medical equipment, they would need a specialist here to know if the equipment is working properly or not." Mary parked the car in front of what Joyce assumed was the front office and she took a minute to study the white paint covering the brick building. It looked fresh and felt off to her, like it hadn't been intended as a doctor's office, but as some kind of small prison.

Mary noticed how tense Joyce had gotten and reached out to place a hand on her knee. "Everything will be fine honey. I'm right here, nothing is going to happen to you."

00000

Sanitizer. That's how the small doctors office smelled to Joyce. As if someone had doused the entire building with disinfectant and then went over it with alcohol scented air freshener. The sterile white walls made her shiver. Everything felt too clean. Like the place had been constructed over night and had never had a patient walk within the building before them. A dark haired receptionist sat behind a walled desk, a fake smile plastered onto her face.

"Hello, my name is Mary Hopper, and this is my daughter Joyce. We have an appointment this morning at nine." Mary informed the receptionist who shuffled through a stack of papers in front of her.

"Mrs. Hopper, if you could fill out this paper work for me, the doctor should be ready for Joyce within a few minutes."

Mary takes the thick clipboard from the receptionist and ushers Joyce into one of the three seats in the waiting room. A small aloe plant is growing in a pot on a tiny white table, and the dark green on the plant is such a stark contrast to the white surrounding them that it makes Joyce squint as a dull pain starts forming behind her eyes.

"Joyce do you know your blood type?" Mary questions as she scribbles answers out onto the front sheet of the clipboard.

"Sorry, but no."

Mary nods and continues to fill out the information in silence.

Minutes tick by and the anxiety Joyce felt pulling into the parking lot has started to gain momentum. She begins to pick at her nails, something she hasn't done since the weeks leading up to the trial. Hopper was going to scold her for the small bloody cuts from her hangnails, but at the moment she couldn't force herself to stop. The sound of a door opening catches Joyce's attention and an older woman, probably in her early fifties stood in the doorway. The entirety of her outfit consisted of a pristine white, including her unscuffed shoes.

"Joyce Horowitz." She calls into the empty waiting room as if someone other than Mary and Joyce would step forward.

"Go on Joyce, I'll be back as soon as I finish filling out your insurance information." Mary directs, flipping over the piece of paper on the clipboard as Joyce tries to ignore the uneasy feeling in her stomach. She was in a doctors office for crying out loud, what did she have to be nervous about? They were there to help her. Getting to her feet, she approaches the nurse and follows her down the hallway.

"Right this way Ms. Horowitz." The nurse beckons and Joyce glances down at the name tag on the left side of her lab coat.

"Lead the way Miss Carter." Joyce comments, taking in the shiny tile on the floor. Carter leads Joyce down the long hallway and into a small room. It looked like any other doctor's office. An examination table, a stool beside a small sink in the corner, and gloves.

"Go ahead and have a seat dear and we'll start by getting your vitals." Nurse Carter says as she washes her hands and reaches for a blood pressure cuff. Joyce hops onto the exam table, the thin paper liner covering it wrinkling under her weight as she settles down. Carter places her cold hands around Joyce's upper arm, applying the cuff and It doesn't take long before she has acquired Joyce's blood pressure, along with her weight, height, eye color, and a blood sample.

"Are you sexually active Joyce?" She asks as she jots down more information onto the paper she's holding. Joyce remains quiet and looks at the nurse who is now glancing between her and the clipboard.

"Everything you tell us about your health is confidential. If you're sexually active your mother won't find out about it from us."

Joyce is once again picking at her fingers. "Umm...I've had sex once." She replies, glancing anywhere but at the woman standing before her. Carter writes this bit of information down and pulls the clipboard to her chest.

"Alright, the doctor will be in to see you shortly."

She's out the door before Joyce can say another word and the silence of the room is almost over bearing. Joyce can hear the blood flowing in her ears and the sound only makes the growing pressure behind her eyes worse. After what seems like an eternity, a knock echoes throughout the bare room and Joyce jumps slightly as the door swings open to reveal who she assumes is her doctor. He looks to be just a few years older than her, maybe in his mid to late twenties at best and that makes her gut suddenly tighten, her nerves jumping further on edge.

"Good morning Joyce, I'm Dr. Martin Brenner." The man says, extending his hand for her to shake. "Now I know what you're probably thinking, I look way too young to be a neurologist, but I promise you have nothing to worry about." He chuckles and takes a seat on the rolling stool in front of her. "So what I've gathered from your medical records provided by your mother, it seems that you suffered what we call a 'traumatic brain injury' because of the slight swelling in your brain that occurred a couple months ago. It's very common with these types of injuries to experience migraines, along with nausea and vomiting, but I'm almost positive we'll be able to find a way to get these things under control and you'll be headache free as soon as tomorrow with the proper medication."

Joyce found herself paying little attention to what Brenner was saying as she studies his face and body language. A simple promise wasn't enough to relieve the tension she felt crawling up her back and into her shoulders. If anything that word had become completely pointless to her over the years. She did have to admit however, there was something about the man that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something about the way he smiled and the way his deep voice vibrated around her caused a warmth of calmness in the air that she couldn't explain.

A light shining into her left eye causes Joyce to blink, bringing her out of her thoughts to see Brenner now standing only a few inches from her.

"Try not to move, just focus on my face." Brenner says, pointing two fingers toward himself while moving the light around to her other eye. "Great. Now close your eyes for two seconds and reopen them."

Joyce does exactly as she's asked and watches as the light flicks back and forth between her eyes quickly one more time before Brenner shoves his pen light into the front pocket of his lab coat while nurse Carter scribbles something onto the clipboard clutched in her hand.

"Now if you'll follow me, we're going to switch rooms so I can perform an EEG that will measure your brain waves. I'll play a series of sounds, along with some flashes of light to see if I can pinpoint a trigger for your headaches. I'll also do a test to make sure everything is healing correctly and no fluid has built up around your brain that could be causing pressure or discomfort."

Joyce swallows and steps down from the examination table. "Shouldn't we get my mom first?" She asks quietly, the uneasy feeling in her stomach returning with a vengeance. Just the thought of her possibly having some sort of brain damage makes her anxiety start to pick up.

"That's not a problem at all. I'll go get her." Nurse Carter offers with a smile before turning to leave the room.

Brenner gestures toward the door with his hand and Joyce slowly steps out into the hallway, her fingers finding their way to the collar of her shirt. "We'll go ahead and get set up while we wait for Mrs. Hopper to join us." He leads Joyce toward the back of the building and she notices once again how quiet the place is. The eeriness of it all makes the hair on the back of her neck stand at attention.

The first thing Joyce sees when entering the new room are the glass cabinets lining the back wall that are filled with bottles, medical equipment, and various objects she's never seen before. There's a chair in the middle of the room that resembles one you'd find in a dentist office, a machine with the word 'MKUltra' printed on the side that's connected to a device that looks like a weird shower cap, and a projector that's aimed toward a blank white wall just a few feet from the chair.

"Have a seat." Brenner says as he crosses the room and opens one of the glass cabinet doors to retrieve a bag filled with a clear liquid. He walks back over to where she's sitting and hangs the bag from a pole that's connected to the chair.

"What's that?" Joyce asks nervously as Brenner carefully slides a needle into the back of her hand, causing her to wince. He places a piece of tape over her skin and connects the tube coming from her vein to the mystery liquid.

"Just something to keep you calm is all. For a positive reading I have to make sure you stay as still as possible and I can tell you're nervous." He flashes her another charming smile, but it does little to settle her nerves.

Just as Brenner is about to place the strange looking cap on her head, nurse Carter enters the room and Joyce is expecting to see Mary behind her, but she never appears. "Where's my mom?" It's only after she speaks that she notices her words are a little slow and her eyes are getting heavy. A slight tingling sensation washes over her and she looks up at Brenner who is carefully placing parts of the cap to her skin so it won't move. She doesn't hear what Carter says in response to her question as her eyes fall completely shut and the last memory she has is of a strange image projecting onto the wall behind Brenner's head.

00000

"Mom?" Joyce calls out when she thinks she hears Mary's voice.

"I'm right here honey." Mary soothes and that's when Joyce realizes she's back in the first examination room and Mary is sitting right beside her with an arm wrapped around her shoulders. She blinks a few times and can see Mary having a discussion with Brenner, but can't actually make out what they're saying. It was like her head was trapped in a cloud and everything was covered in a layer of fog.

"Ugh." Joyce sighs and drops her head into her hands, the movement making the wrap on the inside of her elbow pinch her skin. "What happened? Are we finished?"

"Joyce, can I get to you to sit up and follow my finger again for just a second?" Brenner asks as he rolls over on his stool to place himself directly in front of her.

Joyce lifts her head and gives him a confused look. "Again?"

"You don't remember doing this five minutes ago?" Mary questions, trying to hide the concern in her voice.

"It's alright Mrs. Hopper. This is a perfectly normal reaction to the medicine we gave her." Brenner assures her as he moves his finger back and forth in front of Joyce's face. "Things may be a little fuzzy as it leaves her system, but within an hour or so it'll be as if it was never there."

Mary nods and rubs a hand down Joyce's back as Brenner grabs a stack of papers and a bottle of pills from nurse Carter.

"Here's her medication. She will need to take a pill twice daily with a full glass of water. They have been known to cause dehydration so make sure you're getting plenty of fluids. We will schedule a follow up appointment in three weeks to see how things are going, and of course if you have questions or concerns you have our number." Brenner instructs Mary who is gently patting Joyce's head which is now laid on her shoulder.

"Thank you so much for all your help Dr. Brenner. We will be in touch." Mary says as she helps Joyce into a standing position.

"That's what we're here for, to help our patients and any future generations from feeling pain." Brenner smiles and watches both women exit the exam room.

The sound of a door closing jostles Joyce back into consciousness. Mary is sliding behind the wheel of her car when Joyce finally locates her. "Are we done?" She mumbles.

"Yeah honey we're done. Heading into town now." With the fog in her head and the soothing effect of Mary's voice, it doesn't take long for Joyce to fall asleep, her forehead resting on the cold glass of the passenger window.

00000

Mary quickly makes her way down the familiar isles of the one pharmacy Hawkins had and grabs a few items off the shelves before heading toward the back of the building where the pharmacy was located.

"How are you doing Mary? Come to get Greg's blood pressure medicine I assume?" Brian Whitaker asks from behind the counter. Mary and Greg had known Brian since high school, they were both in the same graduating class as him.

"You know it, can't have that man giving out on me just yet." Mary laughs.

"How's Jim doing? Is he still hanging out with that Horowitz girl?"

"He's doing great and yes he is, they're dating actually."

"Well good for them!" Brian reaches across the counter and scans the few miscellaneous items Mary sat on the counter before bagging everything and giving her the total.

"Would it be too much to ask if I could get another bag please?" Mary questions, handing Brian a crisp twenty.

"Not a problem at all Mary. Tell Greg I said hello, and take care now."

"Same to you, tell Stacey we said hi!"

00000

Joyce continues to doze off and on in the car, the effects of the medicine not quite wearing off as quick as Brenner had predicted. Mary had tried her best to talk her into just going home and skipping the rest of the school day, but the need to see Hopper overruled her desire for sleep. Once they ate lunch she was sure she would be fine. She just had to make it to the cafeteria and the rest of her day would be smooth sailing. The sound of the driver side door opening brought Joyce out of her light slumber to see Mary place a few bags into the back seat, while she kept one sitting in her lap.

"You sure you don't just want to go home Joyce? It would only be three hours before Jim would be heading home anyway."

"No I'm fine, I don't need to miss anymore school than I have already." Had the sun been this bright when she'd closed her eyes seconds ago or was it just the side effects of the IV?

"Everything okay?" Joyce suddenly questions as she glances down at the bag still in Mary's lap.

"Everything is fine honey. I just wanted to have a little talk with you before you went back to school if that's alright?"

"Did I do something wrong?" Joyce asked, immediately feeling dread pooling in her belly.

"No, not at all sweetheart. It's just that... You and Jim have been acting a little different lately. More affectionate if you will, and I think I know what's brought on these feelings. I just need the two of you to be prepared is all. I know you're both young and in love, but you both need to finish high school and get good jobs before something happens. I am way too young to be a grandma and I know Greg wouldn't be disappointed, but he would worry about y'all all the time and-"

"Mom what are you talking about? I'm so confused."

"Joyce, I know you and Jim are having sex." Mary deadpanned.

The flush that Joyce had fought off earlier that morning came back tenfold. It was suddenly very hot in Mary's car. "I…we're not…"

"Joyce it's okay. If I didn't approve of you and Jim being together do you really think I would let you two sleep in the same room? Matter less the same bed? I love you like a daughter and I hope one day you and Jim will bless me with several grandchildren to spoil before I send them back home to you. But until the time comes for that, here."

Mary holds out the plastic bag that had been sitting in her lap and Joyce carefully takes it in her hands. Peeking inside, her face grows redder.

"I know Greg gave Jim one and said after that he would have to get his own, but I don't want him to be embarrassed, so I grabbed a box for y'all. Just make sure to buy this specific brand when you run out for future reference. They're the same kind Greg and I use." Mary laughs at the face Joyce makes. She doubted the girl could sink any lower into the confines of her jacket than she was already currently.

"Just throw them in the back and I'll put them on Jim's bed when I get home. Now, do you still want to go to Patsy's for lunch?"

Joyce nods and tosses the plastic bag into the back seat, hoping she would never have to have this conversation again until it was her turn to do the talking.

00000

Joyce instantly notices the jealous looks from her classmates as she walks into the cafeteria with the famous brown paper bag everyone knew contains food from Patsy's. She easily finds Hopper, along with Benny and Karen at their usual table in the far corner of the cafeteria. Once Hopper's eyes land on her, a huge smile spreads across his face and he jumps to his feet as she nears the table, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Hey sweetheart, how did everything go?" He questions, leading her toward the table like she didn't know where they sat.

"It went fine I guess. It's all kind of fuzzy to be honest. They took blood and vitals and stuff like they would at any other kind of doctor's office, but once they gave me whatever was in that tiny IV it's like my mind gets blurry."

"They gave you an IV? Was mom back there with you?" He asks, concern clearly laced in his tone.

"She sat in the lobby for that part of the exam filling out paperwork."

Hopper eyes the inside of her elbow where a pad of white gauze was covered with two bright bandages, along with a band aid on the back of her hand.

"Well sit down and eat, hopefully that will help you feel better honey."

Joyce nods her head before sitting at the table and greeting Benny and Karen. "Hey guys, how's it going?" She asks, taking her and Hopper's lunch out of the bag.

"Been good, first period was a little stressful, but nothing I couldn't handle." Karen replies, reaching for a fry out of Hopper's to go box.

"Everything has been pretty calm on my end." Benny shrugs. "I can't wait to get out of school, sleep in, get a job somewhere and just be me."

"Yeah, I can't wait for that either. My mom is already on this whole spiel that I need to go to beauty school so I can have a job and get out of her house. It's like she doesn't even want me living there anymore." Karen says with a sigh.

"That's it, we can just pack up an elope, what do you think Karen? Move down south somewhere it never snows." Benny laughs, reaching for Karen's hand before she slaps him away.

"Why in the hell would I move away with you? And how do you propose we get down there if I did want to go? Grab a bus ticket with all the money we don't have? And where are we going to live once we get down there, huh?"

"I haven't gotten that far yet, I literally thought of this plan ten seconds ago. Besides I'm a catch! Any girl would be lucky to have me."

Karen rolls her eyes and turns her attention back to Joyce and Hopper who were both stuffing their faces with their grease filled burgers and french fries.

"Everything go okay at the doctors though Joyce?"

"As far as I know everything is fine. They want me to come back in three weeks for a check up to see if the new medicine they gave me is working. I'm tired as hell though. I feel like I could sleep for days without waking up."

"Well, at least we're halfway through the school day. Once we leave we can knock out our chores and relax for the rest of the night." Hopper's voice broke through the chatter of the cafeteria as he wipes his mouth with the back of his jacket sleeve.

"Hop, use a napkin. You're going to stain your clothes." Joyce scolds him before collecting their trash back into the paper bag it came in.

"Eh, it's an old jacket anyway. Nothing special."

"Yeah, but I like the way it looks on you. So don't mess it up or I won't kiss you for three hours."

"Three hours! You drive a hard bargain there Joyce." Benny laughs, getting to his feet just as the bell signaling the end of lunch rang out.

"Come on Karen, I'll walk you to class." Benny offers his arm to her as if they were back in the seventeenth century. Much to everyone's surprise, Karen gathers her books in one arm, and takes his in the other.

"See you around guys!" Karen calls over her shoulder. Her attention quickly back on Benny, leaving both Joyce and Hopper with shocked expressions.

"Well that's new." Joyce comments as she watches the two get lost in the sea of foot traffic through the cafeteria. Hopper stands at her side and grabs his book bag and their trash.

"I mean, I kind of saw it coming if I'm being honest."

Joyce turns to stare at him confused.

"What? You haven't seen the way they've been acting the past few weeks?"

"If I'm being honest, no I haven't. I guess I haven't really been paying attention to anybody but you really. I was so worried about what was going to happen with the trial, that if it didn't concern anyone in my little bubble I really wasn't paying attention, ya know?"

"That's understandable, but now we don't have to worry about any of that mess. You're safe and nothing is going to change that." Hopper wraps his arm around her shoulders and leads her toward the cafeteria doors. She was safe and that feeling was finally beginning to sink in.

00000

The hot water of the shower felt like heaven to Joyce. Especially after the long day she had. Between her weird doctor visit, Karen and Benny possibly becoming an item, a surprise quiz in biology, then the mess that comes along with mucking stalls, adding fresh hay, and finally eating dinner, Joyce had little energy left. Hell, washing her hair was more of a hassle than she wanted to deal with at the moment. She reached for her shampoo and winced at the slight discomfort in the crease of her elbow.

The smell of honeysuckle filled the small bathroom as Joyce ran her fingers through her hair, working the shampoo into a rich lather. The feeling of her now long hair was still alien to her considering she had always kept her hair short. Why give Travis something else to pull her with? Now however, her curls were just past the top of her shoulders and she had to admit, the length definitely made her feel more feminine. The feel of her own fingers running through it brought back memories from the previous week. Hopper's strong fingers pulling at her hair as she rode him at the tree house. The memory of their first time together brought a smile to her lips. They had made love. Their virginity a thing of the past and she found that thinking about Hopper's hands led to thinking about other parts of his body, causing that new, and still somewhat unfamiliar feeling to her. Joyce turned her back toward the stream of now cooling water and before she knew it, her hands were running down her body, remembering the way Hopper had touched her. A slight moan escaped her lips when a knock from the bathroom door startled her back to reality.

"Joy, you okay in there?" Hopper's voice called through the unlocked door.

Joyce quickly turned off the water and reached for her towel. Wrapping the fluffy cotton material around her body, she stepped out of the shower and quickly opened the bathroom door. The nerve under Hopper's left eye twitched with effort as he commanded it not to wander down from her face while he took in the sight of her.

"Sorry, I lost track of time."

"I just have to brush my teeth and then I'm going to lay down. I'll be there in a few minutes. Should give you plenty of time to get dressed."

The smirk that crosses Hopper's lips doesn't go unnoticed by Joyce and she can't help but smile. He's leaning against the door frame and the control he had seconds ago is already failing. Joyce sighs when the warmth of his calloused fingers skim the top of her towel, leaving a trail of goosebumps along her skin. He leans down and places a brief kiss on her exposed collar bone before stepping around her and into the steamy bathroom.

"I'll only be a minute." Hopper smiles and turns on his heel to head toward the sink.

In no time at all, Hopper returned to their room only to find Joyce already fast asleep wearing one of his old shirts, one where there material was practically see through, and a pair of dark colored panties. Hell, it didn't even look like she had tried to dry her hair before laying down, her pillow was already soaked from the dripping strands, and Hopper found himself staring at her in awe.

He knew today had been rough for her. Even though she hid it well, she was exhausted and he should have known she would fall asleep the second her head hit her pillow. Closing their door and turning off his bedroom light, Hopper made his way through the room from memory. The feel of his old comforter met his fingertips and he carefully climbed into bed beside the woman who had captured his heart. Placing a kiss to her temple, he slid his arm under her pillow and pulled her to him, loving the way her body fit perfectly against his.


	22. Chapter 22

Someone speaking pulls Hopper from a deep sleep and he groans in irritation, slowly opening his eyes. Glancing at the clock on his bedside table, he sees it's barely three in the morning and Joyce is still curled up beside him with her back against his chest, just how she'd been when they had fallen asleep.

"117, no, yes, 5'2." Joyce suddenly mumbles to someone in her dream, a doctor or nurse he assumes. When a few minutes pass and nothing more is said, Hopper pulls the comforter over his shoulder and drops his head back to his pillow, the smell of honeysuckles instantly assaulting his nose. They really needed bigger pillows, Joyce may not be that big of a girl, but her hair seemed to be everywhere.

"Mom...Where's my mom? Mary? Mary?!" Joyce yells just as Hopper starts to drift off again and the loud noise makes him shoot upright, his heart hammering against his chest.

"No...I don't want to...Go get my mom!" Joyce pleads and kicks a leg out from under the covers.

Hopper carefully reaches for her even though he knows it's dangerous, especially in the middle of a dream. His nose still ached when he blew it sometimes, but the need to help her outweighed his fear of getting hit. Gently gripping her shoulder, he rubs a calming pattern into her skin with his thumb and manages to ease some of her twitching.

"Shh Joy, it's okay, no one is going to hurt you. I'm right here. I've got you." He soothes, and surprisingly she starts to settle under the weight of his hand, her feet now unmoving at the foot of the bed.

"Jim..." She whispers before completely relaxing back into the warmth of their sheets.

"I got you honey, nothing's going to happen to you ever again." He promises and places a light kiss to her shoulder that happened to slip out from under her sleep shirt. Once again he pulls her to him and wraps his arms around her protectively in hopes of warding off any more bad dreams for the rest of the night, and every night in the future if he could help it.

00000

A gentle shaking stirs Hopper awake hours later. Last night was rough. After he got Joyce back to sleep, he had trouble finding it himself. What if she had another bad dream? or woke up panicking? He needed to be there for her no matter how bad his body wanted to sink into the bed and never move again.

"Hop, honey come on you have to get up." Joyce says softly from beside him.

"What time is it?" He mumbles and rolls over, looking for the clock.

"Almost seven fifty. I've let you sleep as long as I can."

Hopper groans and finally sits up to see Joyce fully dressed and ready to go.

"You okay? You look like you didn't get much sleep." She scoots closer to him and threads their fingers together.

"Do you remember what you were dreaming about last night?" He asks, stroking his thumb across the back of her hand.

"I don't think I had a dream last night." She watches as he slides his free hand over his chin then across the back of his neck.

"You don't remember anything? Calling out for mom? Saying my name? None of it?"

Now Joyce was really confused. "I was talking in my sleep?"

"Yeah, you were telling someone your weight and height, then started freaking out calling for mom. Saying you needed her. That's when I woke up and tried to get you to calm down without getting the shit knocked out of me again." He attempts to joke, even though the entire situation still had him a little on edge.

Joyce just shrugs and squeezes his hand. "The only thing I can remember is a smudged painting of a rainbow and a bunch of sunflowers, but I don't see why I would call out for mom because of that. I'm also not even sure if that's something I dreamed about last night or a few days ago."

"Maybe you were just really tired from the appointment yesterday and you slept deeper than you thought."

"Either way, it's done and over with. Come on, Moms already got breakfast made and we can't be late."

Carefully getting to her feet, Joyce leans down and places a kiss to Hopper's forehead before making her way out of the room. If the man had one secret weakness, it was forehead kisses and he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.

00000

Pancakes and bacon grease were two of Hopper's favorite smells, especially coming from the kitchen he knew his mother, dad, and Joyce currently occupied. He was in the process of buttoning his flannel when he made his way down the steps and over to the table still half asleep.

"Jesus son, did you even brush your hair this morning?" Greg laughs, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I think I did, might just be time for a haircut." He replies and grabs a slice of bacon from the plate on the table, stuffing the entire thing into his mouth.

"Joyce, here honey, the first pill of your new medication. You'll need to drink that whole glass of water before you get any orange juice though. I'm not going to risk you getting dehydrated." Mary insists as Joyce swallows the pill and takes three deep drinks from her glass. Hopper is stabbing a few pancakes from the shared plate onto his own when his mom sits down beside his dad and places a hand on his arm. Greg clears his throat just as Joyce reaches for the syrup, beating Hopper to the sugary topping that gave her life on pancake Tuesdays.

"Um Joyce, this is for you darlin'."

Hopper looks up from his plate to see his dad sliding what appears to be a checkbook across the table to her.

"What's that?" Joyce questions, licking the syrup off her finger before reaching for the leather bound rectangle in front of her.

"When Linda's parents were alive they set up a trust fund for you. Something to either pay for you to go to college or to start a family, whichever you preferred. When we were granted custody of you, we were informed of the funds. They're supposed to be given to you once you turn eighteen, but Mary and I both decided that you're responsible enough to use them now if you'd like. Maybe go get some new clothes or go out to a movie with Jim one night." Greg concludes, taking yet another sip of his coffee.

"How much money is it?" Joyce asks, flipping the numerous pages of the book between her thumb and pointer finger.

"Around ten thousand I believe." Greg states. The sound of metal clattering on ceramic shoots through the now silent kitchen and Hopper quickly snatches his fork off his plate, sitting still as a statue. Joyce doesn't move at first and he's not even sure if she's breathing.

"Joy, you okay honey?" Hopper asks, keeping his voice low to not startle her or his parents.

The Hoppers watch as Joyce slides the checkbook back across the table, before she resumes eating her pancakes. "You keep it." She says with her mouth full, not at all surprised when Mary replies to her statement without a moment's hesitation.

"Absolutely not, young lady. That's your money and we aren't going to take a cent of it."

"Mom, Dad." Joyce looks between Greg and Mary. "The two of you have been taking care of me for years. You've fed me, clothed me, you even built me a tree house for the nights I was ashamed to come ask for help. You've bought me birthday gifts, school supplies, and god knows what else when you didn't have to. Please, for once, let me do something nice for the two of you. Take the money. Pay off a bill, or go out of town for a week. Just something to make me feel like I've helped you as much as you've helped me."

Greg stands and walks over to Joyce's side where he crouches down and the soft sound of his knees popping fill the small kitchen. Hopper watches as his mother reaches across the table and takes Joyce's hand in her own.

"Joyce honey, what we did wasn't something we did because we thought you would pay us back one day. We took care of you because you're the daughter we didn't get to have. When Jim was born, I had some complications and the chances of those complications being worse with my next pregnancy ruined any future I had of having a little girl. The first time you came home with Jim, I knew that you would have a special place in this family. So no, we won't take that money. It will sit in that account until you use it." Mary insists, giving Joyce's hand a squeeze, Greg doing the same to her knee.

"We appreciate the thought darlin', we really do, but we're fine. Save that money if you don't want to use it now. One day you're going to need a house for the family you and Jim are sure to make, so don't waste it on us."

00000

Two days had passed since the Hopper family heart to heart in the kitchen. Two wonderful, stress and headache free days. Joyce could hardly believe it, matter less Hopper. She hadn't felt this carefree and relaxed outside of the tree house ever in her life. She wasn't as stressed in her classes anymore and her grades were back up now that she could actually concentrate on her work without wanting to roll over and die. It took an hour or so on Thursday morning for her to realize that the emotion she was feeling was peace and it was the most amazing thing she'd ever experienced. That was until she left second period and a voice she had been avoiding called out for her as she crossed the classroom doorway.

"Joyce! Joyce, wait a second!" Lonnie yelled, causing her to sigh. She knew this moment would happen sooner or later.

"What do you want Lonnie?" Joyce asked over her shoulder, not slowing her pace as she made her way down the hall.

"Will you-" He grunted, getting cut off by a group of girls who were crowding around a locker with a mirror taped to the inside of the door. "Joyce, come on, two minutes, thats all I'm asking." Lonnie pleaded as he finally weaseled his way into the hallway traffic and caught up with her outside of the library. Joyce turned on her heel, placing her back against the bulletin board that advertised yearbook sales and the prom theme competition. She raised her hand in front of her, halting Lonnie in his tracks.

"I don't know how I can make the following statement any clearer to you, I have a boyfriend. You know, Jim Hopper, tall, handsome big foot sized dude who walks around school like he owns the place? Ring any bells?"

Lonnie quietly stood in front of her with his mouth hanging open like a fish gasping for air.

"I don't even know why I'm talking to you, because there's nothing you can say to justify what you did. So why are you wasting my time?"

Lonnie flinched as if Joyce physically slapped him and the small movement made her heart ache.

"Look, I'm sorry okay? I know you have Jim, and you love him, it's just that...I don't know. You were the first friend I made here. You treated me like an actual person and not like the weird new kid, ya know? You actually cared about me, about if I passed my classes, and I just got caught up in that feeling of being treated as an equal for once. I really like you Joyce, I don't want one stupid hormone driven mistake to ruin the friendship we had."

Joyce sighed and brushed an unruly strand of hair behind her ear. "That's the thing Lonnie, you and I both know that we could never just be friends. I'm always going to think that you have some ulterior motive to talk to me, and you will eventually get hurt emotionally or physically by Jim if you can't control your urges."

"I'm not going to have urges Joyce, I know you don't have any feelings beyond friendship, if you even have that at the moment. I just want things to go back to the way they were before that stupid kiss."

Joyce stared at Lonnie long enough that he started to kick at some imaginary specks of dirt on the tile floor. She felt like he was being sincere. Like he really did only just want her as a friend, and eventually, the soft heart Joyce tried so hard to keep hidden from anyone other than the Hoppers wrestlers itself free from its cage. Sighing, she finally looked away from him.

"Fine, we can go back to being friends. But only friends and I mean it. No funny business whatsoever or I'm not even going to try and stop Jim from destroying you, got it?"

A slight grin caught the corner of Lonnie's mouth as he pulled Joyce into a quick and friendly hug that she halfheartedly returned. "You won't regret this Joyce I prom-"

"What the hell is going on?" Hopper's familiar growl broke the moment and Lonnie quickly pulled away from Joyce.

"Everything's fine Hop, we were just having a quick chat." Joyce paused at the look he was giving her. "Are you okay?"

The redness rising from Hopper's neck to his jaw was a clear indication that he wasn't. "I was great until I came to find you and see this asshole hugging all over you. I thought I made myself clear, stay away from my girlfriend." Letting his book bag fall from his shoulders, it hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Hopper it's okay, I have it under control." Joyce stated, trying to keep herself between him and Lonnie.

"I was just apologizing for everythi-"

"I don't remember asking your opinion on anything Byers." Hopper reached out and shoved Lonnie's shoulder.

"James Kenneth Hopper you stop right this instant! I said I had it under control! You need to start trusting that I can take care of myself!" Joyce yells, catching the attention of both males who looked like they were ready to kill each other.

"Joyce I was-"

"I don't want to hear it. Go and wait for me at the truck. I'll be there shortly."

"I don't-"

"Just go!"

Her words have a tone of finality to them and for once in his life, Jim Hopper is speechless. Leaning down to grab his backpack, he quickly shoulders it before making his way down the hall, his head held incredibly high against the height of his peers. Joyce and Lonnie both watch the crowd until he disappears down the stairwell.

Joyce turned back to face Lonnie who had a worried expression on his face. "He seems pretty pissed. He wouldn't...he wouldn't hurt you right?"

A small laugh escaped Joyce's lips and she reached out to give him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Trust me, he would be the last person in the world to lay a finger on me out of anger. Don't worry okay? I'll see you later, I need to go try and fix this."

00000

The parking lot had emptied significantly when the sight of the familiar blue truck came into Joyce's view. Hopper was leaning against the front fender, a cigarette clenched between his teeth, and she wondered how many he had already smoked since leaving the crowded hallway. Not saying a word as she approached, Joyce simply walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. It took a moment, but he finally reached down to hold her, exhaling smoke from his lungs. They stood in silence with nothing but the sound of his heartbeat filling her ear and the dull thud of his cigarette hitting the ground.

When he slightly pulled away, Joyce took one last breath and looked up. "Nothing was going on Hop. He was apologizing for being an ass that day in the library and I accepted it. I know you're used to being my knight in shining armor, you always have been, but the dragon is gone now honey. You saved me, and now it's time for me to take on the smaller ones by myself."

"Joyce darlin', it doesn't matter how big or how small those dragons are, I'm going to want to protect you. And since we're still speaking in metaphors, it doesn't matter if it's a dragon or a bewitched toad you're going up against, I'm going to be there to defend you. You're my queen and it's my job to protect you. No matter what the costs. Yes, I should let you try and fight them off yourself first, and I promise I'll start working on that, but just know that the first tiny dragon who burns you will be mounted over the fireplace in our castle. Okay?"

Joyce couldn't help but giggle and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. "I think that's fair." Hopper smiled and cupped her cheeks, kissing her slow and deep until she was moaning into his mouth and pressing her body against him in a way that made his skin tingle. Her hands fisted the front of his flannel and she jerked him forward, her teeth grabbing a hold of his lower lip hard enough to make him growl and pull away from her. He licked across the sensitive skin to make sure he wasn't bleeding and narrowed his eyes down at her. The bite hadn't hurt, if anything it only turned him on more, he was just trying to understand why she was suddenly undoing his belt in the middle of the school parking lot. Joyce was rarely aggressive with him, but when she got that way, he knew she meant business and it took every bit of his will power to stay level headed.

"Whoa, whoa, honey hold on." Hopper hissed as Joyce's tongue licked down his newly exposed stomach. Her left hand was still curled into the cotton of his shirt, holding the hem of it just above his sternum while her other continued to fumble with getting his belt out of it's metal clasp. "We can't do this here." His voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes darting around the parking lot to make sure no one was watching them.

Joyce just grinned up at him and kissed the skin near his hip. "And why not?"

Squeezing his eyes shut to try and think with his brain instead of his dick, Hopper grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away from his belt, bringing it up to his mouth to brush his lips across her knuckles. All it took was one more look around and Joyce was letting his shirt go with a huff, knowing he was right.

"Don't get me wrong. I'd love to have my way with you right here, right now, but it's not worth getting caught." He admitted before buckling his belt and righting his clothes. When he moved to open the passenger door of his truck for her, he had a thought and paused, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Was it the fight?"

Joyce turned to face him and furrowed her brows. "What?"

"The fight, was that what got you going? Because if so, maybe we should do it more often." He chuckled.

"Oh, no." Joyce laughed and pushed on his chest playfully at the fact he would even think that. "I don't know why, but you've been on my mind all day and I just really wanted to kiss you. After that, I'm not sure what happened. Guess I got a little carried away."

The cutest damn smile spread across her face and Hopper couldn't help but kiss her again. Finally getting the door open, he slapped her ass as she climbed inside the cab and he quickly made his way around the front of the truck to join her. A sense of calm washed over him as he cranked the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, a huge difference from how he'd been feeling fifteen minutes ago. It gave him hope for their future, that they could conquer anything together. Even if that anything was currently a slimy toad he couldn't stand the sight of.

00000

Chores should have never taken this long. Usually they could knock out feeding the horses, brushing them, and cleaning out their stalls within an hour, but Joyce was struggling to finish even the simplest of tasks and she could tell Hopper was getting slightly irritated. Maybe if he didn't look good enough to eat at the moment she could stop staring at him and finishing laying the hay she had clutched in her hands. With that thought she paused again, what did she mean looked good enough to eat? He was sweaty and dirty, having just shoveled shit, yet she wanted to lick away the drop of sweat she could see dripping down the side of his face.

"Honey, please hurry up." Hopper pouted as he started packing up the pitchfork and shovels. "I'm tired and want to take a shower before dinner."

Joyce swallowed and closed her eyes, trying to shake away the sudden image she had of him getting frustrated and pushing her up against the side of the barn to have his way with her. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" She whispered to herself when she felt that familiar ache between her legs. Quickly laying the rest of the hay, Joyce gathered her tools and shoved her previous thought far into the back of her mind.

True to his word, Hopper headed upstairs to shower as soon as he kicked off his boots, and Joyce washed up the best she could at the kitchen sink before joining everyone at the table. Images of Hopper in the shower, covered in soap filled Joyce's mind as she attempted to get a jump start on her English project. Was he thinking about her as much as she was thinking about him? What if he was hard right now and she was just sitting there not taking advantage of a perfect opportunity? Trying to shake the image of him out of her head, Joyce gave up on her project and instead, talked with Mary and Greg, hoping she didn't start day dreaming about all the things she wanted to do to their son. Dinner went by in a blur of conversation as Greg and Mary discussed random things going on at the station and church, and by the time Joyce had stuffed herself full, she was more than ready for a shower of her own and a smoke before bed.

00000

Hopper had been in the process of checking the pockets of his dirty jeans when Joyce returned to the room in nothing more than a towel, her hair still slightly dripping onto her shoulders. He tossed the jeans back into the hamper when he came up empty handed and eyed Joyce from across the room as she got dressed. "Where is it?"

"Where's what?" She asked confused.

"My lighter? And don't you dare deny taking it either missy." He laughed and walked over to her side of the bed to open the drawer on her nightstand. The amount of lighters littering the inside of the drawer actually surprised him, but what really caught him off guard was the box of condoms laying front and center staring back at him. "You took the condoms I got too? You do know we share these right?" He chuckled.

Now Joyce was really confused. "That you got? What?" She took the box from him and looked it over. "Mom got these after my doctor's appointment the other day." At least she thought they were the same ones, they certainly looked like them.

"Wait…mom bought us condoms? Why?" He questioned as she tossed the box back in the drawer and grabbed a lighter before shutting it.

"Apparently she has some kind of sixth sense that tells her when people are having sex." She joked with a sigh. "I don't know, Hop. She said she didn't want you to be embarrassed about buying them so she got us some. Which honestly seems more embarrassing than us just getting them."

Hopper couldn't help but grin at the slight blush forming on her cheeks. If he had to sit through his dad giving him the talk, it only seemed fair that Joyce got a talk of her own.

"And when did you manage to buy some anyway?" Joyce asked, crawling across the bed on her knees to where he was standing.

"During my free period a few days after our first time." He dipped his head to press his lips against hers softly when she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"You just assumed we'd do it again?" She grinned and Hopper nipped her chin before giving her another quick kiss.

"Can't blame me for being hopeful." He teased and dug his fingers into her hair when she practically shoved her tongue down his throat. His hands found their way to the backs of her thighs and he lifted her slightly to lay her on the bed where he continued to assault her with his mouth.

The need to breathe pulled Joyce from his lips a few minutes later and she looked up at him lovingly, her thumb stroking against his cheek. So much for trying to ignore her lust filled fantasies. "Still wanna go smoke?" Hopper saw his lighter out of the corner of his eye and took it from her, tossing it to the end of the bed.

"I'd rather keep doing this." At his words she roughly jerked him back to her without warning and kissed him senseless, her right leg hooking over his hip to bring him closer. "God I love you." He panted as his lips skimmed across her throat and his hand found its way under her shirt, his thumb brushing the soft skin just below her breast. A soft whimper filled the air when she arched her back and his hard on rubbed against her with the perfect amount of friction.

"Joyce honey, don't forget to tak-" Joyce had just reached for the strings on Hopper's sweat pants when Mary came barging into the room and caused both teens to jump apart. Hopper quickly scooted to the top of the bed with his knees bent to keep his obvious erection hidden, while Joyce shot upright, crossed her legs and struggled to pull her shirt back down over her stomach.

"Jesus Christ you two." Mary pinched the bridge of her nose and gave them a second to compose themselves before she looked over at Joyce who was purposely avoiding eye contact with her. "Take your medicine before you go to sleep." Mary tossed the bottle of pills onto the bed and turned to leave, mumbling something about the condoms she had gotten them as she pulled the door shut behind her, leaving it cracked three inches.

Hopper sighed when they were once again alone and slid his body down the bed so his head was resting on his pillow. His dick was still strained against his boxers and he quickly readjusted himself before rolling onto his side. "I think I could go for that smoke now."

Joyce cracked a smile and flopped down onto her back beside him. "I can't wait until we have a place of our own."


	23. Chapter 23

With a frustrated growl, Hopper carefully untangled himself from around Joyce and laid on his back, pressing his fingers into his eyes. He'd been struggling to fall asleep for an hour now and was quickly getting irritated. Irritated at the fact he was going to feel like shit in the morning and irritated he'd been sporting an erection the entire time he'd been lying there.

It wasn't unusual at all for him to get hard when he curled up behind Joyce and pulled her against him before they went to sleep. His erection would usually go down within a few minutes or he'd fall asleep no problem at all, so why in the hell was he in this predicament? Sure, Joyce had teased the shit out of him throughout the day and left him hanging with no release, but this was ridiculous.

"Son of a bitch," Hopper whispered angrily, keeping his voice low to not wake Joyce who was still sleeping heavily beside him. Despite everything telling him not to, he couldn't resist reaching down to palm himself through his boxers, hoping to relieve some of the ache he was feeling at being hard for so long.

He really didn't want to go rub one out in the middle of the night just to be able to fall asleep, but after laying there for several more minutes thinking of the most disgusting things possible and coming up unsuccessful, he finally gave in and got out of bed.

Careful to not make a lot of noise, he opened his bedroom door and walked down the hall to the bathroom, finding his way there by memory since most of the house was covered in darkness. When he flipped on the light, he squinted and gave his eyes a second to adjust before shutting the door behind him.

Dropping the toilet lid, Hopper sat down and leaned back, sliding his boxers down only far enough to let his erection spring free so the cold plastic of the lid didn't touch his skin. There was already a small bead of pre-cum at the tip of his cock and as soon as he ran his thumb through it and started stroking himself, he felt guilty. He knew he had no reason to feel that way, this was a normal thing people did, he just couldn't help but wonder what Joyce would think if she knew.

While continuing to stroke himself slowly, he sighed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair, trying to focus on actually feeling good instead of beating himself up for no reason. Maybe this was exactly the reason he couldn't fall asleep, because he was literally overthinking everything.

Squeezing himself a little harder out of frustration, he finally started to feel pleasure instead of guilt and reached down to use both of his hands at the same time. His left hand covered the base with small strokes, while his right gripped around the head where he twisted his wrist at the same time, the action causing him to close his eyes and moan. His lip found its way between his teeth when he remembered he needed to be quiet and he sucked in a deep breath, moving his left hand over his stomach as he stroked himself faster with just his right.

Stopping long enough to spit in his hand, he rubbed over the tip lightly, imagining Joyce's lips around him, licking and sucking him slowly. When he thought about sliding down her throat with his hands buried in her hair, his hips flexed and he felt himself getting close. He groaned when he heard her saying his name in his head, his other hand finding its way back around him as he started shallowly thrusting into his closed fists.

It wasn't until the sound of Joyce's voice got louder that he opened his eyes confused and saw he hadn't closed the bathroom door all the way, fingers were coming through the crack, pushing it open.

"Hop, are yo-"

"Shit!" He hissed, quickly letting himself go to pull up his boxers. "Joyce, what the hell, don't you knock?" He asked breathless, trying to calm his racing heart as he turned to face the sink, placing his hands on the counter and dropping his head to hide his embarrassment. He knew he was beet red, his ears felt like they were on fire and he really didn't want her to see his reflection in the mirror.

"I...I'm sorry, the door was open...I thought something was wrong." She stammered, clearly surprised at what she'd walked in on.

Hopper sighed, closing his eyes as he ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Please just go back to bed." He begged helplessly, placing his palm on the counter once more as he tried not to focus on the fact his erection hadn't wilted in the slightest.

The bathroom door clicked shut and Hopper lifted his head expecting to find the room empty, but instead, Joyce was walking toward him.

"You don't have to be embarrassed." Her hands rubbed over his shoulders and he turned to face her despite wanting to keep his red face hidden.

"I'm pretty sure this is the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me..." He admitted, swallowing thickly. Not even his parents had ever walked in on him jerking off. At least not to his knowledge.

"Why didn't you just wake me up?"

Hopper sighed. "Joyce, I'm not going to wake you every time I get a boner that won't go away. You don't sleep enough as it is. Just go back to bed and I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Since I'm already here, let me help you," Joyce said as she reached out to place a hand on his hip, sliding her thumb under the elastic band of his boxers.

Her touch made him shiver and for a split second, he considered her offer. "Shouldn't you be grossed out or mad at me or something?" He asked confused. The guilt he'd been feeling before had him imagining a completely different reaction to this situation.

Joyce smiled and leaned forward to kiss his chest. "Why on earth would I be mad? You're a guy Hop, it's in your DNA or something to be horny all the time."

His finger found its way under her chin and he lifted her head to make her look at him. "If you were a guy and had to lay beside you every night you'd understand." He teased. "And I'll have you know that I laid there a goddamn hour trying to get this stupid thing to go away. I didn't exactly want to come do this."

"Well don't let me stop you," Joyce said with a smirk, taking a step back.

Hopper raised his brow as he dropped his arm to his side. "What?"

"Go back to what you were doing." She gestured with her hand toward his hips.

Hopper opened and closed his mouth a few times before words decided to come out. "You're not leaving?"

She shook her head.

"Joyce, I'm not jerking off in front of you."

"Suit yourself." She said before sinking to her knees and pulling his boxers down his legs.

Hopper's attempt at a protest died in his throat when Joyce grabbed the base of his cock and swirled her tongue around the tip, taking him into her mouth. She'd only done this one other time and he'd forgotten how amazing it felt. This definitely wouldn't take long, he'd already been close before she walked in on him.

Letting his head fall back with his eyes closed, he moved his right hand to place on the back of her neck, his fingers threading into her hair as she took him as far down her throat as she could without choking. Her cheeks hollowed as she sucked back up his length and she repeated this pattern slowly several times until his legs started shaking. His hips thrust forward carefully, setting a rhythm as she continued working him closer and closer to the edge.

"I'm gonna..." He whispered and the grip she had on his thighs grew tighter. "Joyce..." Biting the inside of his cheek to help muffle his moan, he let go of her hair to grip the counter behind him and came hard, shooting his load down her throat where she desperately tried to swallow everything he gave her.

After a minute he placed his hand on her shoulder when everything was becoming overly sensitive. "Too much." He panted, trying his best to stay standing, his legs feeling like jello.

Joyce gave him one last suck and let him go, wiping her mouth with her hand before sliding his boxers back up his legs as she got to her feet. Hopper instantly reached for her and pulled her to his chest, resting his cheek on the top of her head while attempting to catch his breath. "You're amazing."

Joyce chuckled into his skin and wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back lightly. "Do you think you'll be able to sleep now?"

"Without a doubt. I can barely keep my eyes open."

Joyce squeezed his middle one last time and took a step back. "Come on then big guy."

Hopper stopped her from turning around when she moved to leave. "Do you want me to do anything for you?" As tired as he was, he had no problem at all making her feel just as good as she'd made him feel. Her behavior the last few days left him with no doubt she was just as sexually frustrated as he'd been.

"Not tonight." She said with a smile and threaded their fingers together, tugging on him to follow her back to the room.

Hopper couldn't resist reaching out and laying a light smack on her ass as they walked down the dark hallway. The slight squeak she emitted leaving a smile on his lips.

00000

"Jim, you feeling okay honey?" Mary asked from in front of the stove the following morning.

Hopper looked up from his bowl of Captain Crunch confused. "Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" He replied, shoveling another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

"Well, I heard you get up last night and go to the bathroom. I thought Joyce was in there making sure you were okay."

The spoon in Hopper's hand stopped halfway to his mouth and he quickly glanced across the table to look at Joyce, the color had drained from her cheeks.

"Oh...yeah, I woke up with really bad acid reflux. Thought dinner was going to come back up." Hopper quickly lied. He didn't need his mother to know that Joyce had indeed been taking care of him.

"Yeah, I had some pretty bad heartburn last night as well. Probably need to lay off pizza for a while. Or at least stop getting extra sauce when we order." Greg mentioned as he began to peel the orange he was holding.

"Probably. We have been eating out a lot lately. I just haven't really felt like cooking the past few nights." Mary admitted as she takes her seat beside Greg, a cup of coffee in her hand.

"I will be more than happy to help you cook mom. Just let me know what's on the menu and I'll do whatever you need." Joyce chimed in, glad the conversation had changed from the men's indigestion problems.

"Thank you, honey. I might take you up on that sometime soon."

Hopper reached for the cereal box and added a bit more of the sugary goodness to his and Joyce's bowl.

"Are the two of you going to attend the college and job fair today after school?" Greg questioned as he popped an orange slice into his mouth.

"Yeah, I'll drop in for a bit. You going to be there for the department?" Hopper asked through his mouth full of cereal.

"Yeah. Don't know what good it's going to do though. It's not like Hawkins is full of miscreants. Someone only retires, or transfers every ten years or so. We can only take on so many people when the crime level is as low as it is. Not that I'm complaining or anything." Greg stated and drained the remains of his coffee cup before standing to refasten his belt. Joyce watched as he adjusted the holster on his right hip.

Mary stood from her spot at the table to wrap her arms around Greg's neck, giving him a quick kiss. She did this same routine every morning before he left for work, because she never knew the day she would receive a call that something terrible had happened to him. All it took was one small scare several years ago to completely change the way she processed his departure each morning.

"We should probably get going too Joy, don't want to be late." Hopper commented and wiped the remains of his milk mustache off with his sleeve. He stood and followed Greg to the sink as Joyce began to gather the dirty dishes off the table before she was shooed away by Mary.

"Go onto school darlin', I got this."

00000

The school was abuzz with excitement for the 'Future Fair' that was taking place after school and talk of the future was all anyone discussed at lunch. Joyce picked at her sandwich while she listened to Benny, Karen, and Hopper converse about what they hoped their future held, but all Joyce could do was worry. Watching Mary kiss Greg goodbye that morning had struck a nerve. Hopper had some interest in following his father's footsteps and what if he joined the force and something happened to him? What if he was shot in the line of duty or hurt in a high-speed chase? Joyce didn't know if she could kiss him goodbye every morning and not worry herself to death about his safety. What if they had kids? Would she have the strength to raise them without him? Thoughts of the negatives quickly turned into positives however as Joyce remembered Hopper wearing that uniform on Halloween. He had filled it out perfectly. Showing off the muscles that he had developed from years of working on the farm, and from being the captain of the wrestling team.

"Earth to Joyce. You alive over there?" Karen asked, waving her hand in front of her face.

"I'm sorry, what?" Joyce blinked, looking up from her lunch.

"Figured as much. You kind of zoned out over there. Everything okay?"

Joyce nodded her head and stuffed a bite of her sandwich into her mouth. "Yeah, just got caught in a daydream." Unconsciously, Joyce leaned back onto Hopper's chest and her gentle giant reciprocated in kind by wrapping his arm around her shoulder. It was amazing how he picked up on her little quirks like he just somehow knew she needed him to hold her.

"Like I was saying, if you want we can plan a day to hit up the dress shops for prom." Karen repeated herself now that Joyce was listening.

"Prom? Already? Jesus Karen, it's only February, prom isn't until May." Benny piped up over the top of his chocolate milk carton. Joyce and Hopper both tried and failed at covering their laughter with coughs.

"Exactly! We have to hit the store as early as possible. Don't want those who shall not be named getting the best dresses. Besides, we all know you and Jim are going to be competing for prom king. Joyce and I are going to have to look our best standing beside the two of you."

Joyce almost choked on the cookie she had been nibbling on. "Yeah, I don't have to worry about that Karen. Even when Hopper wins prom king I sure won't be elected queen. So there is no need for me to get anything fancier than something from the department store."

"Joyce Horowitz, I refuse to let you go to your senior prom wearing a dress from a department store!" Karen practically recoiled at the thought.

"It's months away Karen, I'm sure the two of you will figure something out between now and then," Hopper stated as the bell signaling the end of lunch rang throughout the cafeteria.

Benny was the first from their table to stand. "Come on honey, I'll walk you to class." He smiled at Karen, who turned to face Joyce as she stood.

"Just think about it okay? And let me know when you want to go."

Joyce nodded and reassured Karen she would let her know. As she and Benny walked away, she slumped against Hopper's chest once more.

"I don't want to go dress shopping." She groaned. "It's not like I'm going to be up there with you, and I know that you don't care what kind of dress I'm going to wear. I might just tell her I'm sick or something when she decides to go."

"You're right honey, I'd think you look good in a potato sack. If you don't want to get a fancy dress, then don't. I'm going to dance with you no matter what you're wearing."

The compliment made Joyce smile. Hopper always knew what to say when she was feeling self-conscious about herself. She knew she wasn't as curvy as the other girls in town, and no she didn't have a huge rack, but he made her feel as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. The fact that he was currently kissing down her jawline only added to how powerful he made her feel, and she couldn't help but grind against the apex on his thighs where she could already feel the start of an erection.

"Come on Joy, don't want to be late for class." He sighed, moving to stand from the lunch table. Joyce quickly grabbed the collar of today's flannel shirt and stopped him in his tracks.

"I have a better idea."

00000

The door to the AV room closed with a loud thud the moment Hopper pushed Joyce against the heavy wooden surface. She was in the air in seconds, being held up by nothing more than his hips and the door behind her.

"You think it's funny teasing me like that? Knowing good and damn well that I can't reciprocate the way I want to?" Hopper's low voice growled as he nipped her bottom lip, causing Joyce to grab a fistful of his hair, halting the assault on her mouth.

"And why can't you?" She whispered as she ground her hips down against the hardness she could feel between his legs.

A cough suddenly came from across the room, making the two of them freeze instantly. Not letting Joyce down, Hopper turned his head and found that they weren't alone in the small, dimly lit room. Sitting behind a desk covered in AV equipment was Bob Newby with Amanda Bennett straddling his lap, the back of her dress halfway unzipped.

"Hey, Jim. Joyce." Bob nodded to the couple in front of him, his hands never leaving Amanda's side.

"Hey Bob, nice to see you again Amanda." Hopper casually replied, still holding Joyce up against the door. "Like what you've done with the place. Looks a lot less nerdy than the last time I was in here."

Joyce making a sound brought Hopper's attention back to her before Bob could respond. "Mind putting me down Hop?"

"Oh shit, sorry." Stepping back, Hopper held onto her until her feet were planted firmly on the ground. Once she was standing, Joyce attempted to straighten out her clothes and awkwardly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Thankfully the room was dark enough to hide the blush she could feel running down her neck.

"Give us a minute to make sure the teachers aren't in the hall and we'll uh...let the two of you get back to um...business." Hopper supplied as he pulled Joyce to him and reached around her for the doorknob.

"We can finish this tonight once we go to bed okay?" He practically growled into her ear, making goosebumps erupt on her skin.

As quiet as possible, Hopper cracked the door and slowly poked his head into the hallway, looking in both directions. "All clear, lets go. Bob, Amanda, you two enjoy the rest of your afternoon." He smiled and took Joyce's hand in his, making a beeline for the nearest exit.

00000

"Well aren't you two just adorable." Karen teased as she and Benny made their way over to Joyce and Hopper who were already waiting for them under the bleachers. Hopper was sitting on the ground, his back propped up by a huge chunk of concrete and Joyce was between his legs with her back against his chest. Her nose was currently buried in a book and only offered them a half-ass wave as Hopper idly ran his fingers through her hair.

Hopper looked up from the book with a grin and exhaled a lungful of smoke. "You know it."

"How did you get out here so fast anyway?" Benny asked as he took a seat on the ground across from them.

"I skipped English," Joyce said with a shrug, still not looking up from the page that was holding most of her attention.

"Joyce!" Karen scolded and kicked the bottom of her shoe before taking a seat beside Benny. "Why risk messing up your grades when you just got them back up?"

"Relax." Joyce started, finally putting the book down to take the cigarette from Hopper. "There weren't any tests today and I already know everything they're going to teach us anyway."

Karen rolled her eyes. "Alright miss smarty pants, sorry I asked."

"Besides, I think the real question here, is why in the hell you didn't tell me the two of you were dating?" Joyce sat up with her eyes narrowed and looked between her and Benny.

Benny's lips parted slightly like he wanted to speak, but snapped his mouth shut when he looked at Karen.

"Can't say I've ever seen you turn that shade of red Benny." Hopper laughed, which resulted in Benny tossing a pebble in his direction.

"Hey," Joyce whined, ducking her head into Hopper's chest to avoid getting hit by the pathetic excuse of a rock she knew wouldn't cause any actual harm.

"Alright, alright," Karen said before leaning her head against Benny's shoulder. "It's not like I wasn't going to tell you, we were just waiting to see how things went. But yes, we're officially dating as of a few days ago."

Joyce couldn't help but grin. "Well, I'm happy for you."

"Karen, you know you can do better right than him right?" Hopper teased, then jumped when Joyce pinched his side. "Ow."

"Be nice."

"I was just kidding honey, I'm glad this loser finally got him a decent girl." When Hopper frowned, Joyce leaned up to press her lips to his gently, kissing away his pout.

"Anyway, I've been thinking." Benny spoke up, changing the subject. "Why don't we all go camping at the quarry during spring break? Everyone else is going to the lake since they keep getting busted at the quarry, so it should only be the four of us there. Plus it's easier with your dad being the chief and all to make sure no one bothers us."

"Wait." Joyce looked around confused. "You guys aren't actually supposed to go out there?"

"Hell no." Benny interrupted before anyone else could speak. "There's like a hundred no trespassing signs posted around the property, but Mr. Hopper always made sure to handle any calls that came in when we went so we wouldn't get in trouble."

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'll talk to him about it. We still have like two months before spring break to get it all figured out."

"You think your parents will let me go?" Joyce asked quietly, looking over her shoulder.

"Well yeah, why wouldn't they?" The question threw him off at first, but then he remembered this was all still very new to her. She wasn't used to being able to do things normal teenagers did.

Joyce sank back against Hopper when Karen and Benny were looking at her like she'd asked the dumbest question ever.

"I'm sure if you just asked your mom she wouldn't care, Joyce." Benny finally broke the awkward silence as he took one last drag off his cigarette before snubbing it out into the dirt.

Tension ran up Joyce's back like an electric shock at Benny's words and Hopper wrapped his arms around her a bit tighter. "I can't ask her, I mean...I…"

When Benny lifted his eyes, he noticed Hopper kissing the top of Joyce's head, trying to offer her comfort and he had no idea why there was a sudden shift in the air around them. "What? What did I say?" He looked around completely lost.

Karen was also confused as to what was happening. Her and Joyce had definitely grown closer in the short amount of time they had been friends, but Joyce was a very private person, she didn't share much about her personal life and Karen knew nothing about Joyce's mother.

"Then ask your dad?" Benny offered and instantly kicked himself as soon as the words left his mouth. "Fuck, I'm sorry."

Hopper stroked up and down Joyce's arm gently and looked over at Benny. Travis' arrest hadn't been announced to the public, and Karen would kill Chrissy and Marissa if they spoke a word about what they saw in the locker room, so how did Benny know? He sure as hell hadn't told anyone.

"No, I'm sorry…" Karen sighed. "It was right after the incident in the locker room, and Benny was worried, and...please don't be mad at me."

Joyce turned slightly in Hopper's hold to look over at Karen. "It's alright." She shrugged and scratched at the back of her neck. "Everyone will find out eventually anyway, so it's probably best you hear it from me first." She had no reason to be afraid anymore and they deserved to know the truth. "My mom hasn't been around since I was seven and my dad is in prison. Jim's parents have legal custody over me, I live with them."

"You two live together? That's like every young couple's dream come true." Benny said out of nowhere which surprisingly caused Joyce to chuckle and roll her eyes.

That sound was all it took to make Hopper relax. It still amazed him every day how far Joyce had come, and the fact she could tell their friends a secret she had been harboring for years without breaking down made him proud. "It's pretty awesome, not gonna lie. Until she steals all the covers at night." He teased and tickled her side.

"You get to sleep together too?" Benny's eyebrows shot to his hairline in disbelief.

"Damn Jim, you must have the most understanding parents in the world," Karen added.

"We still have rules to follow. It's not like we can just do whatever we want." Hopper said before gently pushing on Joyce so he could stand when the five-minute bell rang out.

Benny stood as well and grabbed his bag from the ground. "Even so, my parents would never allow a girl to sleep in a bed with me every night."

"Guess I got lucky then." He laughed and gave Benny a fist bump. "We'll see you guys tomorrow."

Karen wrapped Joyce in a hug and apologized once again in her ear so no one else could hear, then hooked her arm around Benny's to head to class.

00000

"Come on Hop!" Joyce yelled as she stepped out onto the porch.

Catching the screen door with his hand before it slammed in his face, he slipped his arms into his coat and ran after her toward the barn. "I've never seen you this excited to shovel shit." He said with a chuckle, watching as she struggled to get the huge wooden door to slide open.

With his help, they stepped inside the warmth of the barn and quickly shut the door back to keep out the cold. The second he turned around after the door latched, Joyce was grabbing the front of his shirt and jerking him forward, her lips crashing against his in a heated passion he didn't quite understand.

"Joyc-"

"Shhh." She said before kissing him again, nipping and licking his bottom lip until he grabbed the back of her head and shoved his tongue into her mouth, giving her exactly what she wanted. A moan crept up her throat when he picked her up and pressed her against the side of the barn, her legs instantly wrapping around his waist.

"I want you...I want you so bad." She gasped, her lips brushing a trail across his jaw and down his neck until she bit into his shoulder.

Hopper couldn't help the growl that rumbled in his chest as he reached up with one of his hands to cup her cheek, making her look at him while he kept a firm grip on her ass with his other. "What's gotten into you?" He asked breathless, searching her lust filled eyes for a reason behind her sudden behavior. Not that he minded, he'd have to be dead inside to resist her when she got like this, but it still confused him that coming to do chores had apparently turned her on this much.

"I just need you." She whimpered, thrusting her chest forward as his lips pressed against the crook of her neck, the soft touch making the ache between her legs throb even more. "Please…" The promise to continue this once they went to bed hadn't been forgotten, she just couldn't wait any longer.

"Whatever you want sweetheart." He panted. "All you have to do is ask."

Shifting to where her feet were back on the ground, Joyce pulled him down for another quick kiss before fumbling with his belt. "I want you inside me."

"Jesus Christ." Hopper swallowed, placing his hand against the wall beside her head. "I don't have a condom with me."

Distracted by her lips on his neck, he didn't see her reach into her pocket, but caught the sight of the familiar foil packet out of the corner of his eye when she held up her hand. Just as he went to take it from her, tiny fingers wrapped around his incredibly hard cock and he groaned loudly, his hips jerking forward into her touch. "Did you plan this?" He asked, reaching down to cup his hand between her legs, his fingers rubbing along the seam of her jeans as she continued to stroke him.

"Maybe." She replied with a grunt, her palm resting against the middle of his chest.

Knowing he needed to think straight for a second, Hopper sighed and dropped his forehead against hers with his eyes closed, moving his hand that had been between her legs to rest at her hip. "Do you want to go to the tree house?" There was no way they could have sex right there without getting caught if either of his parents decided to come looking for them.

Joyce placed her hand on his cheek and turned his head so he was looking over his shoulder. "Up there."

"The hay loft?" He asked, his eyes going wide as he turned back around.

A mischievous grin spread across Joyce's face and she bit her lip, giving him a nervous nod.

Quickly tucking himself back into his boxers, Hopper pulled his jeans up enough to where they wouldn't fall and grabbed her hand, dragging her over to the ladder on the opposite side of the barn. When Joyce moved to go up first, Hopper stopped her and curled his fingers into the back of her hair, giving her a slow, deep kiss. "I love you."

Joyce whined into his mouth, her thumb caressing the stubble along the line of his jaw. "I love you too." She said with a smile before letting him go to grab a hold of the ladder.

Hopper watched as her hips swayed above him each time she lifted her leg to climb higher and he couldn't resist grabbing the side of her thigh to stop her long enough for him to bite her right ass cheek through her jeans. The sudden contact caused her to yelp and he quickly moved his head when she swatted at him. "You're gonna make me fall Hop."

"I'll catch you." He chuckled and let her go so she could pull herself the rest of the way up.

The loft was a good fifteen to twenty feet in the air without any walls or rails on one side, so Hopper took a second to move a few hay bales around to create a makeshift barrier near the edge to not only keep them safe, but to also make sure no one could see them if they happened to enter the barn.

Joyce started untying her boots and unbuttoned her jeans while Hopper took off his coat and laid it over a thin layer of hay littering the floor of the loft. Before he had a chance to pull his shirt over his head, Joyce was jerking him back to her lips and threading her fingers into his hair.

"Lay down." Hopper managed to say between kisses, already feeling slightly overwhelmed even though she'd hardly touched him.

With one swift kick of her legs, Joyce had her jeans tossed to the side and was working on getting her panties off when Hopper dropped to his knees and finished the task for her. She held onto his shoulders and lifted her foot to step out of the thin cotton, then moved to lay back onto his coat, staying centered to avoid the rough hay touching her bare skin.

"Hop, no." Joyce whined when he lifted her shirt and started kissing down her stomach.

Taking her words the wrong way, Hopper froze and looked up with concern, unsure of what he had done for her to tell him no. That was the last thing he wanted to hear in a moment like this.

Joyce felt tension run down his back and gave him a reassuring smile before she lifted her legs to wrap them around his hips, digging the heel of her foot into his ass to pull him forward. "Please." She begged and Hopper felt his dick twitch at the look she gave him. Never in his life did he imagine a woman begging him for sex and it did things to his insides that he couldn't explain.

When he finally understood what she wanted, he carefully slid his jeans and boxers down to where they hugged his thighs and freed his painfully hard erection. "Where's the condom?"

Joyce sat up and grabbed her discarded jeans, fishing the condom out of the pocket and ripping it open. While she expertly rolled it down his length, Hopper took a second to slip his index finger through her folds and groaned at how wet she was. "Fuck..."

The soft touch made Joyce gasp and she wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him with her as she laid back and scooted her hips closer, brushing her center directly against the tip of his dick.

Even though they had done this before, Hopper knew he still had to be careful and take things slow. He didn't expect this to be easy for her just yet, if ever. He just hoped he could bring her some sort of pleasure this time after having failed her at the tree house by coming before she had finished.

Picking up on his hesitation, Joyce kissed his shoulder, then skimmed her fingers across his jaw. "Honey, it's alright. You won't hurt me."

Sucking in a shaky breath, Hopper dipped his head and kissed her slowly as he gripped the base of his cock and carefully thrust his hips forward, taking his time to inch into her until he felt pressure against his thighs meaning she needed a second. Continuing to distract her with his lips on her neck and shoulder, he sank into her fully and lifted his head to look at her before moving again.

"You okay?" He whispered and stroked his thumb over her chin.

Joyce smiled and lifted her head, catching his thumb between her teeth and sucking the digit into her mouth. The action caused Hopper to groan when the sensation went straight to his dick.

When he felt her lift her hips, he removed his thumb from her mouth and hooked his fingers under her knee to lift her leg higher up his side. Moving his hips back, he pressed into her slowly a few times, paying careful attention to her facial expressions to make sure he didn't hurt her. The first few thrust he could tell were uncomfortable, but after a couple of minutes she started moving with him and her lips parted to emit a soft whimper that made his skin tingle.

Hopper knew he wouldn't last very long at this rate. The way he could feel her clenching around him every time he bottomed out, along with her nails scratching down his back was quickly hurtling toward the edge. Letting go of her knee, he placed his palm on the floor by her head to hold his weight off of her and used his other hand to snake between her legs, rubbing against her clit in soft, slow, circles.

Her mouth fell open almost immediately and he could tell she enjoyed the touch, but the longer he worked her with his fingers and the closer he got to not being able to hold back his building orgasm, he knew it wasn't enough to bring her with him.

"Tell me what you need sweetheart." He practically begged, wanting to give her the same amount of pleasure he was currently feeling.

Joyce panted and dug her nails deeper into his skin as she flexed her hips against him harder. "I don't know...Hop, I just…" She breathed and reached down to pinch one of her nipples. She was right there riding the edge, so close to her high, but she just couldn't find the right touch to bring her that moment of bliss. "Are you close?"

"I could have came the second we started this." He admitted, having to slow his thrust in an attempt to hold off doing just that.

"Then go ahead, it's okay." She insisted and let go of her nipple to grab his hair, bringing him to her mouth before he had a chance to protest. Her knees locked around him and she lifted her hips to meet him thrust for thrust in time with the slow pace he created. His arm found its way between her back and the floor and he started moving faster, harder, until he spilled into the condom with a guilt laced growl that made Joyce tense.

When his hips stilled and he dropped his head to the crook of her neck, Joyce knew he was upset. "I'm sorry..." He said quietly against her skin. "I know I'm bad at this...I just wish there was something I could do to make it better for you."

"Hey, no. Honey, you're not bad at this." Joyce soothed and turned her head to look at him. "It just might take some time for us to figure out what works best for me. I still enjoyed every minute of it, even without the fireworks at the end." She smiled and tried to lighten the mood, knowing he was going to beat himself up over this.

"Oh, you're still getting fireworks." Hopper said with determination before carefully sliding out of her and ripping off the condom, tossing it to the side. Quickly pulling his boxers and jeans back up his legs, he fixed his belt and righted his clothes, then placed both of his hands on the insides of her thighs to spread her legs open. He settled down onto his stomach and wasted no time in flicking his tongue out to trace her still slick folds. This was at least something he knew for a fact could get her off, whether he was actually good at it or not didn't matter as long as he could give her an orgasm.

Joyce moaned when he gently sucked around her clit, her fingers curling into his hair to pull him closer to where she desperately needed his touch. With careful licks and nips, Hopper took his time in making her slowly come undone beneath him with nothing more than his mouth, her quiet gasps and moans keeping him driven.

After a few minutes she started rotating her hips and he placed his palms on the backs of her thighs, pushing her legs forward to slip his tongue inside of her while continuing to still suck at her clit, the change making her entire body quiver.

"Oh God Jim." Joyce whimpered, pulling his hair painfully as she twitched and fell apart with the strongest orgasm she'd ever experienced. It was so intense she saw a white flash and goosebumps erupted across every surface of her skin, leaving her with what she could only describe as an out of body experience. It took almost an entire minute for her to still, her breathing coming in rushed pants and Hopper could only watch in awe. The rawness of her pleasure had him strained against his jeans as if he hadn't just came himself moments before.

Placing a soft kiss to the insides of both her thighs, Hopper moved to lay beside her and pulled her against his chest, peppering his lips across her neck, jaw, and face until her body finally stopped shaking.

"I love you." He whispered and brushed several strands of hair behind her ear as she slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

"I love you too, even though I think you just tried to kill me." She said with a soft chuckle, snuggling into him a little more.

Hopper couldn't help but smile and placed a kiss on her forehead. "So that was ok then?"

Joyce raised her brow and lifted her head from his shoulder. "There aren't words to describe how amazing that was. Getting fireworks was an understatement."

"Maybe we'll start with that next time so when I make a fool of myself it won't be as embarrassing."

"You're being way too hard on yourself Honey." Joyce said and grabbed his jaw to give him one last kiss before standing to get dressed. They really needed to get started on their chores if they were going to finish in time for dinner.


	24. Chapter 24

"Let's go to Indianapolis tomorrow." Hopper randomly blurted out as he stroked his fingers through Joyce's hair where she was currently resting between his legs on her stomach. She was laid across his abdomen and part of his chest reading through a textbook that was on the bed beside them, trying to finish her homework. Instead of going out like most teenagers on a Friday night, Joyce insisted she had to get caught up in English, so here they were.

Not that Hopper minded, having a half-naked Joyce cuddled against him was better than driving around town or stopping in at the diner.

At his words, Joyce dropped her pencil and looked up at him confused. "Why?"

Hopper smiled and slid his hands down her back and over her ass that was barely covered by her shirt and panties. "Because they have a mall and you need new clothes."

Joyce groaned in annoyance and dropped her forehead to his sternum. "My clothes are just fine."

With a quick squeeze of her ass, Hopper moved his hands back up her body to rest at her shoulders, massaging them gently with his fingers. "Honey, you know I think you look wonderful in anything, but wouldn't it be nice to finally be able to pick out your own clothes? To buy more jeans like the pair mom got you for Christmas? To show off this amazing body you have?" He teased, rubbing his hands down her back once more, his fingertips slipping under the elastic of her underwear.

Kissing his bare chest, she lifted her eyes just enough to see his face and after a minute finally gave in. It wasn't worth arguing over when she knew he was right, but that didn't mean she had to be happy about it. "Fine." She huffed and turned her attention back to her homework in an attempt to distract herself from the slight anxiety she could feel pooling in her gut. She knew it was stupid to get worked up over something as normal as shopping, but to be fair, she'd never left Hawkins before, let alone been to a mall. Spending her entire life avoiding people didn't leave much room for traveling or shopping, not that her home life really gave her much of a chance to experience either in the first place.

Sensing the change in her mood, Hopper grabbed her wrist to stop her writing and made her look at him. "Will you please not stress over this?" He asked with a smile. "Just remember that not a single person in that city is going to know who you are."

Joyce dropped her pencil once again and snuggled her cheek against his chest as she wrapped her arms around his back, brushing her knuckles against the headboard to make room. "I'm not worried about being recognized… its just...all of this is a bit overwhelming. Having a family, having a boyfriend, having money. It's like the life I dreamed about for all those years suddenly materialized right before my eyes and I haven't had a second to adjust to anything."

Hopper kissed the top of her head and pulled the comforter back up over the lower halves of their bodies. "I know that sweetheart, and I want you to remember that I'm going to be by your side through all of it. Besides, you're a woman, as soon as you get a taste of shopping, I'm going to be the one complaining about going." He laughed and squeezed her side just as his bedroom door opened.

"Did you take your medicine, Joyce?" Mary asked as she took a step into the room, trying to hide a smile at the two of them cuddled together on the bed doing school work. The horror stories she'd heard from Greg about teenagers in town getting in trouble made her thankful that Joyce and Jim were extremely well behaved for their age.

"Yes, ma'am," Joyce replied, turning her head slightly to look at the older woman, glad her and Jim weren't in the middle of a make-out session like the last time she'd walked in on them.

"Alright then, Greg and I are heading to bed, don't stay up too late." She said with a grin.

"Mom?" Hopper called just as Mary moved to leave, causing her to turn back to them. "Do you care if Joyce and I go to the mall tomorrow?"

"In Indianapolis?" Hopper nodded, and as much as Mary worried about him driving that far, she knew this was a big step for Joyce and wouldn't take that away from her. "Just make sure you check in with your father in the morning before you leave. You know how he is with that old truck of yours."

Hopper chuckled. "I will. Thanks mom, love you."

Mary smiled. "Love you both, goodnight."

00000

The next morning while Joyce took a little longer than usual to get ready for their trip, Hopper made his way downstairs to get the lecture about safe traveling out of the way. Joyce caught the tail end of their conversation when she sat down at the kitchen table and reached for the box of captain crunch before Hopper ate it all.

"Just let me double-check the tires and the radio after we eat. The signal won't reach all the way to the city, but it'll make me feel better knowing you can contact me if something were to happen on the way." Greg insisted, taking another bite of his toast.

Hopper tried not to roll his eyes. His father had just recently checked the tires the last time they got a few inches of snow on the ground and he said they were perfectly fine. He knew his dad could be a little overprotective, being a cop and all, but if his little routine helped keep him from worrying, then Hopper would gladly wait while he checked over everything before they left.

"Oh, I meant to ask you something the other day. Would it be alright if we go camping at the quarry over spring break?" Hopper eyed Greg from across the table as he reached for more cereal.

Greg leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his coffee. "Who all is going?"

"It'll just be me, Joyce, Benny and Karen. Most of the kids won't go down there anymore after getting run off the last time."

Mary placed her mug on the table with a loud clack and leaned forward in confusion. "Benny?"

Joyce glanced up from her bowl of cereal, instantly seeing the look of worry on Mary's face and decided to let Hopper take the lead on this one.

Hopper sighed, not at all surprised by his mother's reaction. "Yes, Benny."

"Is that really a good idea son?" Greg asked and reached under the table to place his hand on Mary's thigh when he saw how tense she'd gotten.

"Look…" Hopper started, pushing his empty bowl to the side and threading his fingers together. "What happened before was a misunderstanding. Karen is Joyce's closest friend and her and Benny are dating, which means Karen more than likely won't go if Benny can't."

Both of his parents sat quietly for a moment, not at all happy about this newfound information.

"When did the two of you even start talking again?" Mary asked, clutching Greg's hand that was still resting on her leg.

"A couple months ago, but our friendship isn't anything you need to worry about, alright?" Hopper insisted as he reached for his bowl and got to his feet. "Are you ready to give the truck a look?" He asked with a smile, trying to change the subject. He quickly rinsed off his dishes and walked back by Joyce to squeeze her shoulder, watching as his father stood and adjusted his belt.

Hopper slipped on his jacket and followed his dad outside while Joyce stayed with Mary in the warmth of their home. The moment Hopper moved to unlock his truck door, Greg was touching his arm to make him turn around.

"Are you sure you can trust Benny around Joyce after what he did?" Greg asked, a hint of worry present in his tone even though Hopper could tell he was trying to keep his emotions under control.

"Yes." Jim leaned against the fender and shoved his hands in his pockets, never breaking eye contact with his father. "I know this is a lot to ask, and my word probably doesn't mean a whole lot, but school is almost over and that doesn't leave many opportunities for Joyce to get to do these kinds of things. She finally has a friend, dad. Someone that isn't me, and it's been good for her. Benny knows where he stands and I won't hesitate to put him in his place again should something happen."

Greg scratched at the scruff on his chin and gave his son a nod. "Alright, if you say he's changed then I believe you, but your mother is going to be harder to convince. You know how she is with Joyce, and this is going to eat her up inside with worry to make sure she doesn't get hurt again."

"We still have two months before spring break, which gives you plenty of time to change her mind." Jim grinned. "Now come on, let's get this useless inspection over with."

Greg playfully pushed on his son's shoulder and walked around to the other side of the truck to check the tires.

00000

Once Hopper turned out onto the main road, he wrapped his arm around Joyce's shoulders and pulled her into his side. "You alright? You haven't said much since breakfast."

Resting her head against his arm, Joyce reached up with her left hand to intertwine their fingers together. "Just a little stressed, mom seemed upset with me."

Hopper furrowed his brows and quickly glanced down at her, trying to keep his eyes on the road. "Honey, she's not upset with you, she just cares, and like any good mother, she's going to worry about you."

"She kept asking me about Benny...and then it started to make me wonder if I really was being stupid in trusting him." She sighed and shut her eyes, turning her face into his jacket.

With a quick squeeze, he wiggled his fingers out of her grip and rubbed his hand up and down her arm in an attempt to keep her calm. "Benny knows if he so much as looks at you the wrong way I'll kill him, and Dad would gladly help me bury his body."

Joyce let out a soft chuckle and pushed against his side. "That's terrible."

"Seriously though." Taking his eyes off the road once again, he pressed his lips to her temple. "Don't worry about Benny and don't worry about mom. She'll be fine. Let's just try to enjoy the rest of our day."

Knowing he was right, Joyce sighed and sat up a bit straighter when he needed his arm to merge onto the highway. As the scenery grew foreign around her, the anxiety she'd been trying to keep at bay decided to make itself known and she quickly flipped on the radio for a distraction, silently wondering if she was being ridiculous. Sucking in a deep breath, she told herself it was perfectly normal to be cautious of change. She'd only been on the highway maybe four times in her entire life, just being in a car that was going over forty-five was entirely new to her.

"How long does it take to get there?" She asked and turned to look out the passenger window, unconsciously playing with the zipper on her coat.

"A little over an hour, we can go back home though if you want to." He wanted this to be enjoyable for her, but feeling how tense she was under his palm when he touched her leg had him thinking he'd made a bad decision talking her into this.

"No." She quickly responded, shaking her head. "I just need something to keep my mind occupied so I can stop overthinking everything."

Letting go of the steering wheel to scratch at his chin, Hopper tried to think of something they could talk about to pass the time. Instead, he searched through the channels on the radio in search of a song she might know. He'd caught her singing to herself numerous times and it was extremely adorable when she really got into it and tried to get him to jump on the bed with her like they were little kids again.

Not having any luck, he turned the volume down slightly so she could hear him speak when a thought hit him. "You know… if we do go to the quarry you're going to need a swimsuit, and I'm not opposed to watching you try some on." He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Joyce giggled and turned to face him. "Is that so?"

"Honey, you're the sexiest woman I've ever laid eyes on. I'd have to be dead inside to not want that."

A blush quickly ran down Joyce's neck and chest, a heat pooling between her legs at his words. She'd never understood the power he had over her body and the way he could make it react to something as simple as his voice.

"I guess that would make me a pretty terrible girlfriend to deprive you of such a thing then huh?" She said with a smirk and reached out to touch his knee.

After jumping on him at school in the AV room, then having sex in the barn, and two other times after that, Joyce was just now realizing how difficult it was to keep her hands off of him lately. He constantly invaded her senses no matter where she was, or what she was doing, and it was becoming a struggle to not have her way with him every chance she got.

Biting back a moan as her head swam with images of him doing unimaginable things to her body with his mouth, she slid her hand across his lap and down the length of his zipper.

Hopper tensed at her touch, the movement catching him off guard and he gasped her name softly in question, almost choking on his spit when she started undoing his belt.

"Shhh." She whispered, shifting to kiss the side of his neck as she pulled the leather through the clasp and unbuttoned his jeans.

"You do know this is dangerous right?" He said when she freed his dick from beneath his clothing, already fully erect and straining against his stomach. Joyce had learned early on that it didn't take much to get a reaction out of his body when it came to her and was going to take full advantage of the small gift.

"Then you better keep your eyes on the road and both hands on the steering wheel." She smirked and wrapped her fingers around his cock, stroking him slowly a few times before dipping her head and taking him into her mouth.

"Joyce…" He moaned and after a few minutes moved his right hand to thread his fingers into her hair. "Honey...I can't…" His grip grew tighter on the steering wheel, turning his knuckles white, but Joyce acted as if she hadn't heard a word he said and continued to suck him with vigor, letting her teeth lightly drag across his skin every now and then when she'd suck back up his length.

The new sensation caused Hopper's legs to tremble and he curled his fingers around several strands of hair to pull her away. "I don't want to cum in your mouth." He panted.

"Why not?" She asked confused, still holding onto the base of his cock as she looked up at him.

Sucking in a breath, Hopper tried to stay focused on the road in front of him and loosened his grip on her hair. "I just…" He bit the inside of his cheek and drifted his palm down her side to rest at her hip, squeezing it gently. "There should be an old flannel behind the seat." He said in an attempt to change the subject, not wanting her to know it made him feel bad the last time he'd done it.

Joyce made no effort to seek out the flannel and instead licked up the underside of his dick, swirling her tongue around the head before pulling off him with a pop. "I don't mind." She said with a grin and took him into her mouth once more.

"Sweetheart…" He whispered, practically begging her to stop as he pushed against her shoulder when he was right there on the edge.

Hopper's tone finally had her reaching behind the seat, retrieving the flannel to lay it across his lap and stomach before she completely ruined the moment by wondering what she'd done wrong. Using her hand instead of her mouth, she wrapped her fingers around him with a firm grip and started stroking him the way she knew he liked, watching as his jaw clenched and a puff of air left his lungs.

Not wanting him to think she was upset, she shifted to drape the bottom half of the shirt over her hand and started kissing his neck until his hips jerked and he came with a loud groan, his left arm moving to grip the door handle while his other clutched at the steering wheel.

Giving him one last pump, Joyce stilled her hand and kissed his cheek before moving to clean up the mess. When the flannel was tossed into the floorboard, Hopper stuffed himself back into his boxers and righted his clothes the best he could with one hand. There was a brief silence when neither of them knew how to approach the awkward shift that had occurred, but Joyce finally decided to bite the bullet when she saw him open and close his mouth a few times in a failed attempt at speaking.

"I'm sorry if that was too much."

Hopper sighed and rubbed his hand over the bridge of his nose, turning slightly to look in her direction for a quick moment. "Honey, everything about that was perfect, and I mean everything. The stuff you did with your teeth..." He smirked. "I just don't want you to feel obligated to let me finish in your mouth. I know it's gross, and it feels the same to me either way."

Joyce rolled her eyes slightly and scooted closer to him, dropping her head against his shoulder. "It's not that bad." She teased and was rewarded with a soft chuckle.

Taking her hand in his, Hopper intertwined their fingers together in her lap and kissed the side of her head. "Do you think we'll ever figure out how to be normal at this?"

"Normal is probably boring anyway." She grinned and shut her eyes, trying to ease her own desires that were still flowing throughout her body. "I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart, and don't worry, I'll return the favor when we get back home." He promised.

Joyce giggled. "Such a gentleman."

00000

The mall parking lot was filled with the typical Saturday traffic. Families who had been stuck in school or at work all weekend that needed a day out flocked to the location with hopes of a new toy or that new toolbox all of the dads had been eying since it's release. Joyce looked out her window in awe. The building itself was the biggest one she had ever seen and her mind automatically went to how many rooms they could have in a tree house that size.

"So what do you think? Is it what you expected?" Hopper questioned as he pulled into one of the few vacant parking spots closer to the building.

"This place is huge, Hop! You don't think we're going to get lost in here do you? I really don't want to spend the evening wandering the parking lot looking for the truck." Hopper couldn't help the small laugh that escaped as he turned to look at her. He quickly placed his hand up to his brow and gave a mock salute.

"I promise if we end up wandering the parking lot tonight looking for the truck I will carry you the entire way."

"And all of the stuff you're going to make me buy?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way darlin'. You ready?"

"Just a sec, I want to do something first."

Reaching under the seat, Joyce pulled out her camera and looked at Hopper sheepishly as he gave her a questioning look.

"Since this is my first time out of Hawkins, or at a mall, or actually shopping, I wanted to take a few pictures of the place ya know?"

"You do whatever you want to honey. It's a big step in your life, you need to remember it." Joyce gave him a huge smile before she bounded out of the truck, her fingers already picking at the lens cap of her camera. Hopper watched as she snapped several pictures of the building and even got one of him sitting in the truck.

"Come on Hop, I want to get a picture with you!" Joyce's excited voice called to him after a few minutes of photographing her surroundings. He dutifully climbed out of the truck and walked around the bed, reaching her side in a few long strides.

"Here." She said, holding her camera at arm's length. "You take the shot, your arms are way longer and you have at least a foot on me in height. That way we can both be in the picture and look decent."

Hopper hesitated, but eventually took it from her. It wasn't like they hadn't taken several pictures together before, this time however, he was holding a much more expensive camera.

"Just put the strap around your arm if you're worried about breaking it." Joyce giggled, already knowing what was going through his head.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" He questioned and carefully wrapped the strap several times around his wrist.

"I just know you I guess." Joyce shrugged and pulled him into a hug, her arms going around his waist.

Hopper raised his arm up and aimed the lens at what he hoped was both of their faces. "Alright babe, say cheese!" He exclaimed even though she was already smiling like a loon. He pressed the button and waited for the sound of the shutter to click before he allowed himself to blink. An idea popped into his head and he quickly brought his arm back up.

"Hey, Joy?"

Joyce looked up into his eyes, waiting to hear what he had to say when he suddenly brought his lips down to hers. She smiled into the abrupt kiss and the sound of the shutter snapping once again filled the air.

"I want a copy of that one to go in my wallet, okay?" He chuckled and carefully handed the camera back to her.

"You're sneaky and I love it." She squealed as she opened the truck door and carefully stashed the camera back under the seat before locking the door and slamming it shut. Hopper waited for her as she ran to his side, her hand quickly twining with his.

"You ready to go inside now?"

"Yeah, I'm a little nervous, but as long as I have you by my side I can conquer anything."

Pride swelled in Hopper's chest at her words and he brought the back of her hand up to his lips.

"Come on, I'm waiting on my fashion show."

00000

Hopper carefully kept an eye on Joyce as she soaked up the coming and goings of the mall. Her eyes lit up as she took in the various clothed manikins packed into shop window displays and he couldn't help the smile on his face when a particular top caught her attention.

"Can we go in here? I want to take a look at this." She asked while pointing at the manikin.

"Lead the way darlin'." He smiled and felt her grip on his hand tighten as she pulled him into the store.

The inside was bright and cheery with endless rows of every type of clothing you could imagine. The top that had originally caught her attention was short sleeved and bright yellow with white buttons down the center.

"Do you think this would look good on me?" She questioned, skimming through the rack for a  
medium.

"Honey I think you would look amazing in any of this stuff. I also think that top would go great with those jeans over there."

Joyce turned her head in the direction he pointed to see the two different styles folded neatly on a table a few feet away. "The darker or the lighter ones?"

"Why don't you get the top and try both on with it? See which one you like best."

"I think that sounds like an excellent idea young man." An elderly female voice sounded from behind them. The sales attendant was probably in her early seventies, her hair white as a summer cloud.

"If you would like sweetie I can take them to the dressing room for you?" The lady, who's name tag read Edith offered, her hands already reaching out toward the items in Joyce's arms.

"Um yeah sure, thank you."

Edith gave them a nod before taking Joyce's options back toward the dressing room. After another thirty minutes or so of browsing, Joyce finally had a decent variety of clothes to try on.

"Go on Joyce. I'll be around here somewhere." Hopper commented, his eyes glancing toward the store's pitiful men's section.

Edith unlocked the dressing room door for Joyce and directed her to place the clothes she didn't like on the track outside so they could be put back on the floor. Giving the kind old attendant a smile, Joyce quickly disappeared behind the dressing room door. Hanging up on a hanger on the opposing wall were the items that Joyce had picked out. The bright yellow top caught her attention first and a smile appeared on her lips as she ran her fingers over the soft fabric. Making quick work of pulling her shirt up and over her head, she carefully unbuttoned the yellow one, hoping that it looked decent on her. The fabric felt cold as she slid it onto her arms and began to re-button it. Three buttons to go and a knock on the door startled her.

"Someones in here." She yelled out, not wanting to be rude to whoever was currently waiting on the other side.

"Joy, let me in." Hopper's familiar voice echoed around her. Glancing down at the space between the bottom of the door and the floor, Joyce saw the familiar worn-out boots Hopper wore around the farm doing chores. Why he decided to wear those today she had no idea. Quickly reaching for the lock on the door, she stepped back into the depths of the dressing room, almost feeling claustrophobic at the sudden loss of space that he now occupied.

"What are you doing?! You can't be in here with me!" Joyce panicked in a slightly loud whisper.

"And I won't be in here for long if you keep being loud." He grinned, looking down and noticing the top she had yet to finish buttoning. His eyes instantly lit up at the sight in front of him, his hands itching to reach out and touch the exposed skin at the top of her jeans.

"No way Hop, I can tell what you're thinking by the look in your eyes and it's not going to happen! We're in public!" She once again whisper shouted as he took a step toward her, making her back hit the wall of the small enclosed space.

"That color looks amazing on you Joy, really makes your eyes pop." He murmured, placing his hands above her head on the wall, pinning her under his body.

"What are we going to do if we get caught?" She questioned, running her hands down his chest, the movement causing goosebumps to stir on his arms.

"We won't get caught if you're quiet." He growled into her ear, gently pulling her lobe between his teeth. The slight catch in her breath doing things to him he was ashamed to admit out loud.

Joyce stood on her tiptoes and stretched her short frame up for a kiss. The moment her lips met his, any sane train of thought was halted. Hopper quickly brought his hands down to her ass, kneading it through the thin denim of her jeans, her breath hitching when his hands left her ass and traveled to her thighs. Suddenly she was being lifted into the air and instantly wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands moved to either side of her neck, holding her in place as his lips continued to claim her. Joyce realized that his hips were the only thing holding her up when she felt how hard he was against her center.

"Hop we really shouldn't b-" Her voice was cut off when Hopper thrust his tongue into her mouth, her hands instantly going for his belt buckle. She wasn't sure what it was, but the possibility of them getting caught made her even more eager, and completely ignored her own words of caution. His belt came unfastened quickly and the sound of his zipper dropping filled the dressing room.

"Joyce, this is supposed to be for you." He whined as her hand wrapped around him.

"Making you happy, makes me happy."

" Joyce please…" He begged, the sound of a knock on their door made them both freeze.

"Young man, I'm giving you three minutes to make your way to the front of the store to wait on the lady before I call the authorities. Is that understood?" Edith said firmly from the other side of the door.

Joyce and Hopper both stayed frozen in place until the white shoes of Edith disappeared.

"Honey, I'm begging you with everything that I have to please grab all of these clothes and go directly to the counter and pay. I don't care that you haven't tried any of them on. Just please..." Hopper stated, a genuine look of fear in his eyes. He set Joyce back on her feet and hastily zipped his zipper. Mortified herself, Joyce quickly complied and took off the yellow top, replacing it with her old worn-out shirt.

"I'll wait for you outside of the store, I really can't afford to go to jail. Dad would literally kill me." Hopper informed her as he made sure Joyce was adequately covered before opening the door and making a beeline for the front of the store.

00000

Hopper had to practically drag Joyce out of the mall after she insisted she buy him a new pair of swimming trunks, along with a few new flannel shirts.

"Sweetheart stop buying me stuff, I'm the one whose supposed to be buying stuff for you, not the other way around." He whined and finally guided her out into the nearly abandoned parking lot.

"What's the matter? Gender roles getting to you?" She joked as he unlocked her side of the truck.

"I just feel bad when you buy stuff for me and I know I can't give you anything in return." He stated, helping her pile into the truck with all the new items she had decided to buy today.

"You don't say! Sucks when that happens doesn't it?" She teased and carefully pulled a bag out of the path of the door.

"Think you're funny don't you?" He glared playfully as he closed her door and made his way around to the drivers side. The drive back to Hawkins was uneventful, both of them just ready to lay down and relax after such a long day. Joyce's stomach growling halfway home had them stopping at a drive-thru for dinner. Each of them getting a burger, fries, and a milkshake.

"I can't be eating all of this junk Hop, I won't be able to fit into any of the clothes I just bought." Joyce whined as she took another sip of her milkshake.

"Then you'll just have to run around naked then won't you." He laughed, narrowly avoiding the swat she aimed for his shoulder.

"You'd love that wouldn't you tough guy?" She teased, finishing off the rest of her milkshake.

"Yes and no...Yes because I would get to see you naked all the time, and no because everyone else would too. I'd hate to spend the entire day whooping ass and not looking at you." He smirked and shoved the last of his fries into his mouth.

"You good to go?"

Joyce gave him a content nod as she rested her hands against her stomach. "Yeah. Might have to unbutton my jeans on the way home though." She giggled, giving Hopper a grin from her side of the cab.

"I'm certainly not going to stop you."

00000

The lights inside the farmhouse were off with the exception of the front porch. Glancing at the dash, Hopper realized that their little adventure had taken way longer than he had planned and would more than likely have to deal with the consequences tomorrow morning over breakfast. Until then, they would continue to live in the little bubble of happiness they had made for themselves today.

Quietly opening the front door, Hopper and Joyce, with their arms full of the day's spoils, re-locked the deadbolt and made their way up the stairs and into their bedroom. They placed the bags on the bed, already dreading having to find a place for all of it in their shared closet.

"Did you have fun today?" Hopper asked from the foot of the bed where he was sitting down, untying his boots. The reply he got consisted of nothing but pure silence. Looking up from his boots, he noticed Joyce standing in front of the closet with her arms wrapped around her chest. She was staring at all her old, worn-out clothes. The clothes that Travis had bought for her out of obligation instead of love. Most of them were second hand and had holes in them that Joyce had learned to patch herself, or were three sizes too big for her.

"It's so stupid," Joyce stated, her voice showing obvious signs of emotion.

"What's stupid Honey?" Hopper asked as he made his way to stand behind her, wrapping her protectively in her arms.

"When I went to the trailer that day, I got my necklace and a few notes, that's it. I trashed the entire place and I was happy. Happy that I had destroyed anything and everything that he would have left if he ever went back. Anything that was left of my childhood that I had deemed as horrible reminders of my life. Then I come home from an amazing day with you, and I see all of these." She sighed into his embrace. "He bought these for me out of obligation to keep your parents from calling child protective services. He didn't do it because he loved me, he did it to save his own ass. I want to burn every last article of clothing in this closet of mine because of that. But, there are so many good memories in this closet too."

Joyce reached out and gently ran her hand over the white tee shirt closest to Hoppers' side of the closet. The red ketchup stains on the chest giving away the significance of it.

"I was wearing this the night you won me that necklace. Your parents bought me a hotdog and I got ketchup all over it. Then this one...this one I was wearing the night we shared our first kiss at the Treehouse." She smiled, her fingers gracing over the see-through grey material.

"How about you burn what doesn't have a good memory of me and you attached to it? We'll go through everything, and what you don't want anymore we'll stick in a bag and burn tomorrow night before dinner. Sound good?" He asked, placing a delicate kiss to the side of her neck.

"I think that sounds like an amazing idea."

"What do you need from me?"

Joyce turned around in his embrace and placed a kiss to the center of his chest.

"I think I need to do this on my own. To rid myself of Travis and my old life once and for all. So if you would, just hang in here with me and keep me from staying up all night."

"Whatever you need sweetheart. I'll wait as long as you want me to."


	25. Chapter 25

Three weeks came and went in the blink of an eye and before Joyce knew it, she was heading back to that overly clean white building that still seemed to make her skin crawl. Had she not been running low on medicine, she would have made it a point to never go back there.

The familiar scent of sanitizer instantly assaulted her senses upon entering the lobby, and instead of following Mary over to where the same dark haired lady from before was sitting behind a desk, she plopped down into a chair next to the table with the sad looking aloe plant. Not believing it was actually real, Joyce reached out to poke it, but quickly pulled her hand away when her name was already being called.

Nurse Carter held open the door and ushered her and Mary down the hall to the same room she remembered from the first time they were there.

"Go ahead and take a seat." Carter said with a sweet smile before moving to wash her hands. Mary settled into a chair in the corner of the room and crossed her legs as Joyce made herself comfortable on the examination table.

Carter wasted no time in gathering Joyce's vitals, skipping a blood sample since hers was still on file. When she was finished, she sat on the rolling stool with a clipboard in her lap and scooted back across the small room, placing herself in front of Joyce.

"So, how have you been feeling the last three weeks, anymore headaches?"

Joyce pressed the hem of her shirt between her fingers and looked over at Carter with a shrug. "I think I only had two headaches. A really bad one a few days after I left here and then a small one the day after that, but I'm not sure if it was just left over from the first one to be honest."

Carter scribbled something onto the piece of paper she was holding. "You were having them almost every day before, is that correct?"

Joyce let go of her shirt and gave her a nod. "Yes."

"Have you noticed any side effects from your medication?"

Joyce adjusted her shoulders when her shirt suddenly felt like it was choking her. Rubbing her palms down her thighs, she thought of her life the past three weeks. "Not really, unless you count being tired. And well-" Snapping her mouth shut, Joyce glanced over at Mary and stopped talking.

Carter lifted her head and followed Joyce's line of sight, looking between her and the older woman.

Mary shifted in her seat when she realized she was the reason for Joyce's abrupt pause. "Do you want me to leave?"

"No...it's just...well…" Joyce blushed and dropped her head to stare at her lap, rubbing a hand over the back of her neck. This wasn't something any teenager should have to share with their parents. "I've noticed that since I started taking the new prescription, that I've been...well...horny all the time." She quickly whispered out the last part, praying that Carter had heard her so she wouldn't have to repeat herself. It was bad enough Mary already knew her and Hopper were having sex, having her know Joyce couldn't seem to keep her hands to herself was too much.

A soft laugh caught her attention and she lifted her eyes, catching her mom trying to clear her throat and cover her mouth. The blush she could feel in her cheeks quickly rushed to her ears and down her neck, causing her to hide her face in her hands since she didn't currently have a rock to crawl under.

"There's no reason to be embarrassed Joyce, that's actually a very normal side effect to what you're taking."

"It is?" Joyce asked and slowly uncovered her face.

"It's more common in females, but the active ingredient seems to trigger the hypothalamus. It controls sexual desire, thirst, and your body temperature. Think of it as your body trying to divert the pain you're receiving from your headaches into say, something more pleasurable. If that makes sense."

The room fell quiet for a moment, Joyce and Mary both staring at Carter as they tried to soak in exactly what she was saying.

"So if I keep taking the same medicine, this won't go away?"

"Assuming we stay with your current prescription, over time your body will start to adjust to the changes and eventually it won't be as noticeable."

"That's not exactly a terrible thing Joyce." Mary teased and couldn't help but laugh at the look she received from the still very embarrassed teenager.

"Mom!" Joyce practically squeaked. "This is serious!"

Even nurse Carter had to hold back laughter as she gathered her things and got to her feet. "Dr. Brenner will be in to see you shortly. Just sit tight."

Watching as the door clicked shut, Joyce dropped her hands back to her lap and started swinging her feet, doing anything to keep from making eye contact with Mary.

"Honey, relax." Mary said from where she continued to sit in the corner, instantly picking up on her anxiety.

With a sigh Joyce stilled her feet and leaned back on the table, placing her hands behind her for support. "Sorry." She mumbled.

"Joyce." Mary called, finally gathering her attention. "I don't want you to be afraid or embarrassed to talk to me about anything, okay?"

Joyce swallowed and gave her a nod even though she was pretty sure she'd never bring up her and Hopper's sex life again willingly.

Before Mary had the chance to say anything more, there was a knock and the door swung open, silencing any further conversation between the two women. Brenner stepped inside, not bothering to shut the door behind him as he walked toward the sink and leaned against the counter, greeting Mary, then turning his attention to Joyce.

"It's good to see you again Joyce. Nurse Carter tells me we've made some progress in the amount of headaches you've been having, which means the treatment is working exactly like we hoped." Brenner said before looking down at the clipboard in his hand.

"In order for things to continue in this direction however, we'll have to do another round of treatment. It'll be slightly more aggressive than the first one, but hopefully it'll be the last. I'm worried your body may reject the progress we've made and your headaches could return if we don't move forward. Your body may start adjusting to your current prescription making it useless after a while. The end goal is for a cure, that way you don't have to take medication everyday."

Joyce grabbed at the collar of her shirt, her anxiety not calming in the slightest. "What do you mean more aggressive?"

Dr. Brenner shifted his stance and moved the clipboard toward his waist, crossing his arms in front of him. "The medicine we'll be using this time is a lot stronger, which means more side effects. It'll more than likely cause you to run a fever for a few hours since your body's natural reaction will be to fight it once it's in your system. Nausea and vomiting are also common, along with some memory loss like before. The brain is an extremely complex organ and goes into self defense mode any time it's over stimulated. That means forgetting any stress or trauma it might endure."

Joyce bit her lip nervously. "Mom?" Was all she could say, her mind running wild with a thousand reasons why this was a terrible idea and desperately needed some kind of guidance.

Mary got to her feet and moved to stand beside the examination table. "Honey, it's alright to be nervous. This isn't supposed to be fun, but it's going to help you live a normal life without any more pain. If this isn't something you wish to continue, let me know. I won't make you do anything you don't want to."

"But you're the adult..." Joyce knew how child-like she sounded just then, but this wasn't a decision she felt she was capable of making.

Mary took her daughter's hand in hers. "And you know your body better than anyone else and it's limits. I want the absolute best for you, and I hate seeing you in pain, but this has to be your choice."

Joyce frowned slightly, looking between her and Brenner. Just remembering the last few months made her cringe. She had treated Hopper terribly and created nothing but chaos around the entire family because of her headaches. That wasn't something she was willing to let happen again.

"Will we do the treatment today?" Joyce glanced in Brenner's direction and pressed her lips together when she felt Mary stroking the back of her hand with her thumb.

"That would be ideal."

Pausing for a moment, Joyce looked back at Mary and finally gave a nod, knowing she didn't need to waste anymore of Mary's time by having her make another appointment later on down the road. "Alright."

Brenner smiled and gestured with the clipboard toward the door. "Whenever you're ready."

Mary gave Joyce's hand one last squeeze and moved to let her jump down off the table. "I'll be waiting for you right here." She promised.

00000

Mary had been in the middle of reading one of the various magazines in the examination room when she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. She lifted her eyes toward the open door just as Brenner appeared.

"All done." He said with a smile and stepped to the side to allow nurse Carter the space to push Joyce into the room.

As soon as Mary took in the sight of the teenager she was on her feet in an instant, dropping the magazine to the floor as she made her way over to the pale figure currently shivering in a wheelchair. Joyce was holding a bucket in her lap that had clearly already been vomited into, an ice pack was draped across the back of her neck and she looked completely out of it.

"Is this normal?" Mary asked in a panic, her hand finding its way to Joyce's shoulder where she immediately felt heat coming through her clothing.

"There's no reason to worry. This is just her body trying to fight against the medicine still in her system like we discussed earlier. I already gave her a fever reducer and something for any pain or discomfort she might experience the next few hours." Brenner insisted. "I'm going to keep Joyce on her current prescription for the next two months and if she doesn't experience any more headaches, it won't need to be refilled. It wouldn't hurt to keep an emergency bottle at home however, just in case. We don't know what could happen a year from now, but we're expecting a positive outcome."

Mary tensed when Joyce groaned and leaned forward to puke into the bucket again.

"If you don't notice a change in her fever within the next hour, you can give her some ibuprofen and try to encourage her to drink some water. She's more than likely going to be exhausted until tomorrow, so it's probably best to take her home and rest."

Brenner handed Mary a white paper bag with some folded pamphlets inside, along with two bottles of pills and motioned with his hand for nurse Carter to push Joyce toward the lobby.

"All the information you'll need is in there and you can call us any time if you have any concerns. I'll schedule a check up in two months just to get some feedback and make sure nothing needs adjusting." He said with a smile, allowing Mary to walk beside Joyce as they made their way to the front door.

Brenner stood back as another man and nurse Carter helped get Joyce out of the wheelchair and into her car.

00000

Having to pull over two times on the way home to let Joyce throw up, Mary couldn't believe it when the girl finally hit the soft cushions of the couch and gave her a second to breathe. Joyce hadn't spoken a word since the lab, which made the entire situation of getting her out of the car and into the house a complete nightmare.

With a small trash can on the floor beside the couch, a glass of water and a bottle of ibuprofen on the coffee table, Mary finally felt herself starting to relax. She quickly pulled off Joyce's socks and draped a lightweight blanket over the upper half of her body, before settling onto the couch with Joyce's head in her lap.

Carefully brushing a few strands of sweaty hair out of the girl's face, Mary adjusted the ice pack on her neck and started rubbing a soothing pattern down her back in an attempt to ease some of her shivering. Once Joyce had fallen asleep, Mary reached over the arm of the couch for her book and let out a sigh. Today had been rough and she was looking forward to some peace and quiet for at least the next hour.

Mary started dozing off when the sound of the front door slamming jostled her back into consciousness. Feeling Joyce still shivering at her side, Mary removed the now warm ice pack from her neck and tossed it onto the coffee table. The heat radiating from Joyce's body made her shift uncomfortably, her pant leg sticking to her skin where she was starting to sweat.

"Mom? Mom!" Jim yelled as he came into the room, freezing in his tracks when he saw Joyce and his mother curled up on the couch.

"Keep your voice down." Mary scolded and lifted the blanket off of Joyce to place over the back of the couch. "Why aren't you in school?"

"I was worried..." Jim said and moved to sit on the coffee table beside the couch, looking down at Joyce's shaking form. "Is she ok?"

"She's just sick from the treatment they did. She'll feel better in the morning."

Hopper frowned and reached out to touch her shoulder, then her cheek and forehead. "She's burning up."

Mary looked at the clock on the wall to see almost an hour had passed since they had returned home. Her fever should have gone down some by now, but it only seemed to be getting worse. "Help me get her up."

Hopper gently shook Joyce's shoulder while Mary lifted her head off her lap and tried to get her into a sitting position. The movement caused Joyce to groan, her hand coming up to rub at her eyes.

"Honey, I only need you to be awake long enough to take some medicine, then you can go back to sleep." Mary said softly, watching as Jim helped Joyce readjust the collar of her sweaty shirt.

Mary wasn't sure if it was her son's touch that startled her or the fact she was still waking up and gathering her bearings, but the second Joyce opened her eyes she was jumping away from the both of them as if she'd seen a ghost.

"Where...where am I?" Joyce asked, her eyes scanning her surroundings frantically.

"What do you mean? You're home. This is your home." Hopper looked at her confused, moving to stand when she got off the couch and started backing away from them.

"No." Joyce whispered and shook her head. "I don't...who...who are you? Why am I here?"

Hopper turned to his mother then with genuine fear in his eyes. "What the hell is going on?"

Mary touched her throat nervously and took a step closer to her son. "They said she could have some memory loss like before, but not like this…she only forgot the doctor's visit last time."

"Why would you even take her back there if this happened before?!" Hopper practically shouted, his fear starting to mix with anger. Neither one of them had mentioned anything about her losing her memory, and seeing his girlfriend backing herself into a corner completely clueless as to what was going on scared the shit out of him.

Clenching his jaw, Hopper turned his attention back to Joyce and crouched down in front of her where she had curled into a ball beside a chair on the opposite side of the room. "Joyce?" Surprisingly she lifted her head, her hazy brown eyes making his gut twist. "Honey you're ok, it's just me. You remember me don't you?"

Joyce's body continued to shake violently as she studied his face, her pupils dilating slightly the moment she recognized him.

"Hop…" Almost immediately after saying his name she started dry heaving and Mary rushed to get the bucket beside her right as she threw up again.

At this rate trying to get any medicine into her system would be impossible with her vomiting. The way she was trembling and drifting slightly in and out of consciousness meant they needed to get her temperature down and fast.

"Jim, grab Joyce and bring her into the bathroom." Mary demanded and headed upstairs to start filling the tub with cool water. As she grabbed a towel from the closet, she paused and took a moment to collect herself. The guilt she'd been feeling since that morning was eating away at her and she knew she couldn't have a breakdown when her kids needed her to keep a level head and get them through this. She had to be the adult even though she felt like the worst parent in the world right then for making Joyce go through this.

"What are we doing?" Jim asked as he carried Joyce into the bathroom and eyed the running water.

Mary set the towel on the counter and moved to turn off the faucet. "Take off her shirt and jeans."

Hopper was still slightly confused, but shifted Joyce to place her feet on the floor, her fingers instantly clutched at his neck when she didn't want to lose the heat from his body. The cold tiles touching her skin caused goosebumps to spread across every one of her limbs, making her shiver worse if that were possible.

"Honey it's alright, we just need to get your temperature down." Mary soothed and attempted to remove the death grip Joyce had on Jim's flannel to get her damp shirt over her head. It was clear Joyce didn't have a clue what was going on, so it didn't surprise Mary that it took a bit of coaxing to get her stripped down to her bra and panties. It was when Jim guided her toward the tub that the real challenge presented itself. One foot in the water on her own had Joyce backing away, not wanting anything to do with what Mary was sure felt like ice to the poor girl.

Mary tried once more to convince Joyce to get into the tub even though she already knew it was useless. Joyce didn't even blink when she spoke. Giving her son a look, they both knew what had to be done next, but Hopper shook his head. "I don't want to hurt her."

"Would you rather we take her to the hospital?"

Hopper sighed and pulled Joyce against his chest knowing that was an even worse idea. "No."

"This is the only other option we have at the moment." Mary said sadly.

Looking down at Joyce, Hopper kissed her sweaty forehead and quickly gathered her into his arms before she had a chance to figure out what was happening. He dropped to a knee beside the tub and carefully lowered her into the bath.

The moment her skin touched the water Joyce gasped as if every bit of air had been sucked from her lungs and she immediately started trying to climb back into Hopper's arms.

Hopper placed his palm on her chest to hold her down and used his other to knock her hands away from anything she could grab onto. Her breathing started coming in rushed pants the more worked up she got and water splashed all over Hopper and the floor when she kicked her legs in an attempt to gain some leverage.

"No...No!" Joyce yelled, her fingers digging into his arm. "I can't…" Tears began to pool in her eyes and Hopper felt his grip loosen at the look she was giving him. "It's too cold." She cried, her legs kicking out again.

"Joy it's ok. The water isn't that cold, it just feels like it." Hopper said softly and moved to grab her wrist, pulling her hand away from his arm when she started drawing blood with her nails. He pushed her hand down against her chest and tried to caress her cheek with his free hand to make her look at him.

Joyce turned her head away from his touch and struggled against his hold one last time with what little strength she had left. "Please, Hop." She begged, her chin trembling from the shivers wracking throughout her body. When tears slipped down her cheeks, Hopper felt his chest tighten and he swallowed hard to keep it together.

"I can't let you out Joy, I'm sorry." He whispered and leaned in closer to her, placing his hand on the side of her neck near her skull to trace his thumb over her jaw. "You need to take a deep breath and calm down. I'll be right here with you, I'm not going anywhere."

Joyce shut her eyes and started sobbing when she went to push against him again and felt her muscles giving out on her. "Hop, please."

Hopper sniffed and blinked back his own tears before turning to look at his mother who was standing right behind him. "Why did you do this?"

Mary tensed, taken aback by her son's tone. "Excuse me?"

"You knew something was off about that place when you went the first time. She could have died!" Hopper glared and turned his head to wipe a tear off his cheek with his shoulder.

"Jim I know you're scared, but you will not speak to me that way." Mary said as she swiped at her eyes. Watching her son's mental struggle with forcing Joyce into the tub broke her heart. It was bad enough knowing she was the reason Joyce was sick in the first place, she didn't need him angry with her on top of everything else.

Snapping his mouth shut, Hopper turned back to Joyce and rubbed his hand up and down her leg, wanting her to know he was sorry. It took some time, but eventually her breathing finally evened out and she stopped crying when there was nothing left she could possibly give.

Mary paced the small area of the bathroom worrying her lip with her teeth as they waited. Her instincts told her to go to Joyce, to be by her son's side, but she wasn't sure she could handle anymore rejection if she said or did the wrong thing after Jim's outburst. Joyce always felt more comfortable with him over anyone else anyway, so she let him be her support while she kept her distance. When several minutes had passed and she could see Joyce's body finally starting to calm, she walked over to the tub and flipped open the drain. "Let's get her out."

With his mother's assistance, the two of them helped Joyce step over the side of the tub and onto the bathmat. Mary grabbed the towel she placed on the counter and wrapped it around her shoulders, rubbing it back and forth against her skin to soak up the water.

"I got it." Jim said and took the towel from his mother's hands, missing the hurt in her eyes.

Pressing her lips together to not get upset, Mary dropped her arm to her side and turned to leave. "Get her settled in bed and I'll bring up a glass of water and something to help keep her fever down."

00000

It had been a very long and uneventful day at the station. Being the chief of Hawkins Police had its perks however, one of them being that Greg could leave when things were this slow. Reaching the front porch, he kicked off the loose dirt from his boots before walking up the steps. He assumed Joyce's appointment hadn't gone as well as they'd hoped by the sight of Jim's truck in the driveway. High school wasn't out for another hour at this point in the day. Wiping his foot on the worn out doormat, he entered the house and immediately looked for his family.

He found Mary first in the kitchen. Her hands submerged in a full sink of water with only a few small eating utensils and two glasses.

"Hey honey, how'd everythi-" Greg stopped speaking when his eyes narrowed in on his wife's trembling shoulders.

"Mary what's going on? What happened?" He questioned and instinctively moved to her side. She was fighting tears with everything she had. Mary had always been a proud woman, never wanting to show weakness or accept defeat. Something horrible had happened to make her break like this.

"Joyce's appointment was so much worse this time. She's been running a fever, so I got her settled on the couch with an ice pack to help bring it down, but it didn't work. Then Jim came home and she woke up scared out of her mind. She didn't remember us Greg. She didn't know who Jim and I were." Mary told him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I had Jim bring her upstairs to put her in the bathtub and she immediately started screaming that it was freezing. Jim had to physically hold her down to keep her from climbing out, and the entire time the only thing I could think was how horrible of a mother I was being."

Her words caught Greg off guard. Never in their eighteen years of parenting had Mary ever thought she was a bad mother, and he would be damned if she started to think it now.

"Honey, you have never been, and never will be a bad mother. I'm sure all of this was to be expected with the treatment Joyce is receiving. We all knew there would be risks and this is just one of them." Greg coaxed Mary to turn around and to place her head on his chest. He didn't even care that her bubble covered hands were leaving water marks on his uniform.

"Jim was so upset with me. Asking why I would let something like that happen to her. Like I enjoy her being in pain all the time." Mary confided and Greg stiffened in her embrace. So Jim and his mouth had also brought on the pain she was feeling.

"He's just being a normal smartass teenager darlin'. We both know that you would rather be in pain yourself than to see either of them the slightest bit uncomfortable." Greg nuzzled his nose into her hair and the familiar smell of her lavender shampoo made him sigh.

"Why don't we order out tonight? We can have an early meal, then you and I can sit on the front porch? You can tell me all about that book you've been reading and I'll pretend to be as into it as you are."

The statement did exactly what Greg had wanted. It made Mary laugh and he felt her hold on him tighten as she hugged him around his middle.

"That sounds like an excellent idea. Could you go see what Jim wants? I'm sure he still doesn't want to talk to me." Mary said as she let go of him and moved to grab the take away menu off the top of the fridge.

"Of course honey. I won't be long." Mary nodded as she opened up the menu to see what tonight's specials were at Patsy's.

00000

Greg took the steps leading upstairs two at a time and when he reached the top of the landing he took a left, stopping in front of his son's door. Giving a quick knock, he rotated the doorknob and let himself in. Jim was sitting with his back against the headboard of his bed, gently running his hand through Joyce's hair as she laid with her head in his lap. Jim looked up at the sound of his door opening, a scowl already planted on his face. At the sight of his father it quickly changed into an irritated frown.

Greg gave a silent tilt of his head, telling Jim to come out into the hallway, then he turned on his heel and took a few steps away from the room. Seconds later, his son was gently closing his bedroom door and approaching his side.

"Her fever going down?"

"Yeah. I'm hoping she'll be fine once she gets some sleep." Jim stated, his hands sliding into his front pockets.

"I'm glad to hear she's doing better son. I know it's hard dealing with all these emotions and feelings you're having. Like right now, you're feeling protective and probably a little anxious about her. She's the most important thing in your life and you'll do anything in the world to make sure she's respected, happy and safe."

Greg watched as his son nodded and adjusted his stance.

"I also need you to know..." Greg continued, taking a step closer toward him. "Those feelings you have going on right now? I feel the same way about your mother whos been downstairs crying her eyes out thinking she's a bad mother all because you chose to use some stupid words in a stressful situation. You think the sun rises and sets in Joyce. I get that, because your mother is my sun. You understand what I'm saying? No matter how stressed you get, never make her feel like less of a woman okay?"

Hopper nodded once more, a slight slump in his posture.

"We're ordering out tonight for dinner. Let me know what you want once I get out of this uniform."

With his piece of mind back in tact, Greg turned his back on his son and moved toward his and Mary's bedroom, the top two buttons of his shirt already unfastened.


	26. Chapter 26

Joyce is slow to wake the next morning, her eyes blinking several times to adjust to the dim light surrounding her. She shivers and reaches for the comforter only to find a thin sheet bundled around her legs. Looking to see if it had fallen to the floor, she pouts when it's nowhere to be found and quickly curls against Hopper's back, pulling the sheet over her shoulder.

Hopper stirs at her movement and instinctively rolls to pull her to his chest, his arms wrapping around her without ever opening his eyes. He starts to drift back to sleep when she moves again, her head burrowing under his chin like she could possibly get any closer.

"It's freezing in here." She whines, her voice muffled by his skin.

Hopper kisses the top of her head and stretches before reaching over his side of the bed to grab the comforter off the floor.

"And you say I steal all the covers." Joyce teases and ducks when he tosses the blanket over the both of them, her head included. "Jerk."

Hopper chuckles and spoons up behind her as she adjusts the comforter, his fingers drifting over her hip before resting his palm against her stomach. She shuts her eyes and moans in contentment, her body melting into the warmth she can feel radiating from his chest and into her back.

With soft strokes of his thumb across her skin it doesn't take Joyce long to fall back into unconsciousness. Hopper on the other hand couldn't seem to settle as he watched her chest rise and fall with even breaths. The steady rhythm of her heart beating against his sternum bringing forth a feeling of anxiety he couldn't explain.

Pressing his lips to her shoulder, he carefully untangles himself from around her when he knows he won't be able to go back to sleep and slips out of bed.

00000

The sound of bare feet coming down the steps alerted Mary that one of the other three house inhabitants was awake. Listening carefully, she heard the distinct heavy thud of Jim's walk. Not wanting to fight so early in the morning, Mary remained seated at the kitchen table, the cup of coffee just in reach suddenly becoming the most interesting thing in the kitchen. She counted to seven in her head once she heard Jim step into the hallway, and the moment the last number ran through her mind he was walking into the kitchen.

He startled at the sight of her and she quickly pretended to stir another spoonful of sugar into her already too sweet coffee. Jim silently made his way to the fridge, grabbing the milk and Mary fought the urge to sigh with relief when he pulled down a glass out of the cabinet instead of drinking straight from the carton.

She took a sip of her coffee, only wincing slightly at the over-sugared taste just as Jim sat down to see the look she'd made.

"Too much sugar?" He questioned, taking a drink from the glass in front of him.

"Maybe just a little bit," Mary commented, not looking up from her mug. She knew Greg had spoken to him, whether he would admit it or not. Greg was a laid back father and Jim got away with almost everything growing up. However, the one thing that wasn't tolerated in this household, was anyone disrespecting Mary.

They sat in silence for what could have been hours. Only the sound of birds outside the kitchen window keeping the house from being eerily quiet. It wasn't until Mary took her fifth sip of coffee that Jim finally spoke.

"Mom? I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I was scared. She didn't remember me, didn't remember us. She was burning up. You saw her, she was delirious, and I panicked." The words came spilling out of his mouth in a rush of jumbled emotion, the main one being guilt. Mary nodded her head at his statement, a small part of her not yet willing to forgive him for the things he had said. "She means the world to me mom and I-"

"You don't think that she means a lot to me too Jim? Whether you think it or not, I've loved her since the first time she came home with us from church. I've fed her, clothed her, and cared for her not because you loved her but because I did. Joyce is the daughter I never got to have, and when you accused me of willingly hurting her yesterday you acted like I was a horrible person who would purposely put their child in danger. Do you know how bad that made me feel? You made me feel as though I didn't deserve either one of you."

Hopper hung his head, focusing on what little milk was currently sitting in the bottom of his glass. He knew he had fucked up, he just didn't realize how bad.

"Mom, you know I think the world of you. You're the best mother either of us could ask for. My mouth was just running yesterday because I was scared. I've come so close to losing her too many times."

"And you think that I haven't!? Jesus Jim. When Travis nearly beat her to death she almost died on my front porch! Then what would you have done, huh? You couldn't live without her and I knew it. We both knew it. If she would have died, then you would have done something stupid and I would have lost both of you! I faced her mother, I blackmailed her into letting us legally adopt her, and then you have the nerve to say that I was willingly taking her to get hurt! She hasn't had a major headache in weeks Jim, weeks. She's finally being a teenager and I couldn't be happier for her, or for you. But what you said yesterday crossed a line and I'm honestly not sure if I'm ready to forgive you. Now, you've apologized and said your peace, but I need to be left to my own thoughts until I'm ready to be in the same room with you again."

For once in his life, Jim Hopper was at a loss for words. In his short eighteen years he'd had numerous disagreements with his father, but never one with his mother. For this to be as big and festering as it was really made his heart ache. He knew he needed to respect her wishes, give her the space she desired, and eventually this would blow over and things would go back to normal.

Pushing back his chair, Hopper stood and walked to the sink to rinse out his glass. Before leaving the kitchen he moved to stand behind his mother and placed a hand on her shoulder. He internally sighed when her hand covered his. Giving her a light squeeze, he stepped toward the doorway and went back up the stairs to check on Joyce. Mary watched him until his figure disappeared and once he was out of sight, she took a sip of her coffee and immediately spit it back into the cup. It had turned ice cold.

00000

Hopper quietly opened the door to his room and padded over to the bed, eyeing Joyce who was still fast asleep right where he'd left her. He sat on the edge with his bare feet still touching the cold hardwood floor and dropped his elbows to his knees, his fingers coming up to press against his eyes when he felt the sting of tears beginning to prick at the surface.

Taking in a shuddering breath, he laid on his back and wiped at his cheeks before sliding a hand through his hair. The love he had for Joyce would never change, neither would his instincts to protect her, but after feeling this kind of rejection from his own mother, he knew he needed to figure out a way to handle his emotions better. The guilt was unbearable. Every time he thought he had himself under control his chest would tighten and new tears would blur his vision.

With his constant moving, Joyce eventually woke and rolled over to catch him drying his eyes with the bottom of his shirt. "Hop? What's wrong?"

Lost in thought, Hopper hadn't felt the bed dip and tensed at her voice. Quickly shifting to sit with his back against the headboard, he sniffed and shook his head. "Nothing. How are you feeling?" He asked, his watery blue eyes lifting to meet hers.

Joyce frowned at his attempt to avoid her question and moved to sit up as well, the comforter dropping from her shoulders and pooling around her waist. "Seriously, are- Jim what the hell happened!?" She said in a panic when she took in the sight of the numerous scratch marks down his arms and neck.

With everything else going on, Hopper had completely forgotten about his appearance and how badly her nails had damaged his skin. Not sure how to approach the subject, he carefully took her hands in his to keep her calm. "You don't remember?"

Noticing his calculated movements, she gave him a confused look, her gut twisting at his tone. "What do you mean?" When his expression shifted, she pulled her hands from his and swallowed. "It was me?"

Hopper sighed and touched her leg when she tried to scoot away from him. "Honey it wasn't your fault. You were really sick and didn't know what was going on."

"I don't…" She started, still moving toward the edge of the bed. "Why?" Shaking her head, she brought a hand up to grab at the collar of her shirt. The last thing she remembered was leaving Mary to go with Brenner, then nothing until now. Not only had she lost an entire day, she'd hurt him, yet again. "I'm so sorry." His arms looked like they had been ravaged by a wild animal and one particular gash near his wrist caught her attention, it was deep with a dark red scab already forming over the wound. She looked at her hands and cringed at the dried blood she could faintly see under her nails.

"Sweetheart, I'm alright." Hopper insisted, not making a move to touch her again. "You didn't do any of this to be mean, you were just scared. Your treatment caused you to run a really high fever and mom and I had to get you into the tub to bring it down since the medicine they gave you wasn't working. Your natural instincts kicked in to get away from the cold water, that's all."

Joyce curled her fingers into her palms to hide her nails and closed her eyes. "Why can't I remember any of it?"

"I don't know. Mom said this happened the first time you went, it just wasn't as bad. It either has something to do with your treatment or the really high fever you had. Your mind just blocked out what was happening to protect you." Hopper watched as she opened her eyes and went back to grabbing at her collar. "Hey, everything's fine now. Stop worrying."

With a frown, Joyce rubbed her free hand through her hair and huffed. "I can't help it Hop. I don't like not being in control of my body or unknowingly hurting the people I care about." The scratch marks peeking out from under Hopper's shirt and up his neck made her feel incredibly guilty. She wasn't a violent person and she really hoped this wasn't some deeply rooted psychological behavior brought on by the torment she'd suffered at the hands of Travis. She silently wondered if this had happened before? What if she had blacked out and forgotten something horrible he'd done to her?

"Honey, look at me." Hopper insisted, tearing her from the darkness her subconscious was currently digging at. He reached out to carefully peel her fingers from the now stretched out collar of her shirt and kissed the back of her hand. "Why don't we go downstairs and get something to eat? You haven't had anything since breakfast yesterday and I'm sure you're starving." Giving her hand a comforting squeeze, he stood and walked over to their shared closet.

Joyce fidgeted with a stray string on the comforter as Hopper grabbed a pair of grey sweatpants and an old Beetles shirt for her. "Thought you'd want to relax today."

"What about chores?" She questioned and shifted to stand, her muscles instantly protesting the movement when she got to her feet. "On second thought, not sure that would be a good idea." Bending her knees slightly to stretch out her legs, she watched Hopper go to her dresser and pull out her favorite bra.

A smile curled at the corner of her mouth. "How'd you know I was going to grab that one?" She asked as she pulled her sweatpants on over her hips.

"It's the one you always put on after school or a shower. Figured it was the most comfortable." He said with a shrug, a slightly pink twinge staining his cheeks when he handed it to her.

"You pay that much attention to me?" She questioned curiously and lifted her night shirt over her head.

"Of course I pay attention to you, Joy. I love you, more than anything." He took a few tentative steps toward her, trying his best to keep his eyes on her face as his hands came to rest on her hips. His thumbs slipped under the elastic of her sweatpants and rubbed small circles into her skin before dipping his head to press his lips to hers. Joyce knew she couldn't stand there half naked for long with the lack of privacy they had, and thankfully her stomach growling forced Hopper to pull away before they got too distracted.

"I'm going to go brush my teeth real quick. Finish getting dressed and I'll meet you downstairs." Placing one last kiss to her forehead, he turned and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Letting out a sigh, Joyce took a moment to just breathe. She still didn't feel one hundred percent like herself, but Hopper's words and actions definitely helped kick start her morning into a more positive direction.

00000

Not wanting to disturb anyone else in the house, Joyce kept her steps light as she made her way down the old wooden stairs and toward the kitchen. The distinct smell of bacon smacked her in the face when she reached the bottom and the sound of someone moving around echoed down the hallway. Greg was most definitely still asleep, Saturday's being one of his days off meant sleeping in, so that only left one other person.

Upon entering the kitchen Mary looked up from in front of the stove and gave Joyce a welcoming smile. "Morning Honey, how are you feeling?"

Joyce shrugged. "Better I guess? My entire body hurts, but I don't really remember anything that happened yesterday." Stopping to stand beside the older woman, she eyed the bacon still popping in the pan for a second before dropping the side of her head to Mary's shoulder. "Thank you. I can only imagine how stressful this has been for everyone. I just want you to know how grateful I am for what you've done for me."

Mary moved the pan from the burner, turned off the stove and wrapped her arm around Joyce's smaller frame. For a moment, neither woman said a word, both relishing in the maternal embrace.

"I'm sorry for everything that's happened because of your treatments. I knew there were risks going into this, I just never thought it would be this bad. I only wanted what's best for you and I thought that was Dr. Brenner, but I'm not sure it's worth another scare like we had yesterday. If you don't wish to continue seeing him let me know and we won't go back there."

Joyce gave Mary a brief, puzzled look. "I mean, not having headaches everyday has been amazing, but I don't want to scare any of you like that ever again."

"I know you don't, things just got a little out of hand is all. We'll figure something out in two months when you go back for your check up, but for right now let's try not to worry about it." Mary murmured as she returned the pan of half cooked bacon to the burner on the stove.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Joyce questioned as she made her way to the fridge, grabbing the pitcher of orange juice from the top shelf.

"I think I'm fine honey. Is Jim awake yet? He usually beats you downstairs." Mary commented, flipping the bacon and slightly wincing as grease popped on her hands.

"Yeah he's awake, said he was going to brush his teeth then he would be down. I'll go check and make sure he's okay. He should have been finished by now." She said before turning to head upstairs.

Walking down the short hallway, she saw the bathroom door ajar and standing in front of the mirror was a shirtless Jim, leaning over the sink with white shaving cream on his face and a razor in his hand. She paused in the doorway and just watched him, taking in the look of concentration he exuded as he focused on the reflection of the razor in his hand. Stroke by stroke, the shaving cream left his face, leaving a trail of smooth skin exposed. With the final swipe of the razor, Hopper stood straight and wiped his face with a towel, then leaned forward to run his hand over his jaw, checking for any missed spots. Joyce carefully made her way inside the bathroom when she knew she wouldn't startle him and Hopper instantly caught her reflection in the mirror. With a smile, he turned and placed his hands on her hips as hers went to his face.

"What brought this on? I haven't seen a clean shaven Jim in quite a while." She teased, her thumbs stroking the smooth skin of his chin.

"Just thought it needed to be done. Figured you wouldn't mind either."

"Well you're right there. It's nice, makes you look younger too." She giggled and rested her head against his chest.

A knock suddenly came from behind them, causing the two of them to look up from their spot in front of the sink. Greg stood in the doorway, his usual pajama attire of a white shirt and sleeping pants indicating he had just woken up.

"Morning kids, mind if I use the facilities before breakfast?" Greg questioned, looking between the two teens.

"Yeah sure, was just finishing up." Hopper said and grabbed the towel he had used off of the counter to throw into the laundry hamper in the corner.

"Will you tell your mother I'll be down shortly?" Greg asked as Hopper started to descend the stairs in front of him.

"Can do." He called back.

Once they made it to the kitchen, Hopper immediately felt tension between his shoulders. He knew his mother didn't want to be around him and that's exactly why he'd decided to shave, to put off the inevitable for as long as possible.

"Nice of you to join us this morning Jim." Mary quipped from her spot in front of the stove where she was making homemade gravy to go with breakfast.

Hopper ignored the snarky comment and moved to sit at his usual spot at the table. He grabbed the empty glass placed to his right and filled it with orange juice, not saying a word to anyone.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can help with mom?" Joyce offered, instantly picking up on the tension in the room.

"You could make Greg a cup of coffee if you'd like honey. Black, two sugars." Mary offered.

Joyce nodded and went to the cabinet to bring down a light green colored mug she'd seen Greg use quite often. Making her way over to the table, she nudged Hopper's leg with her knee as she carefully dumped two spoonfuls of sugar into the bottom of the cup. Hopper met her eyes, but didn't say a word. He simply grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze, saying that they would talk about it later. She squeezed his hand back once and placed Greg's coffee in front of his spot at the table just as he entered the kitchen.

"Thank you Joyce." He said over his shoulder as he made a beeline for Mary and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Morning Darlin'. You sleep alright?"

Mary watched as he reached for a piece of the cooled bacon to the right of the stove as she tossed the whisk into the sink. "Took a while to actually fall asleep, but when I finally did it was peaceful enough."

Greg nodded and moved to sit at the table. "How about you Joyce? I know you had a pretty rough day yesterday, were you able to get some rest?" Greg questioned as he brought his mug of coffee to his lips.

"I think so. Can't really remember when I went to sleep, but I feel ok." Joyce commented, giving Hopper a concerned look.

Mary stepped over to the table and placed a plate full of bacon and sausage in the center, followed by a bowl of gravy, a basket of biscuits, and a plate with everyone's choice of eggs on it.

Joyce was the first to reach for the biscuits, breaking hers in half and covering it with gravy. The table was quiet after that as everyone grabbed their preferred food and started eating. A few minutes later Greg took a sip of his coffee and cleared his throat.

"Seen that part of the ladder for the tree house was broken when I went by the other day. The railing on the back looks a little loose too. It shouldn't take long to get the materials and have it fixed today."

"Oh...yeah okay. I'll get around to it sometime or another." Hopper commented, not looking up from his plate.

"Today Jim. It looks bad and I know the two of you are going to start hanging out there more once summer hits. I don't need either of you falling and hurting yourself because you didn't take this wonderful Saturday to fix it like I said."

Joyce watched as Hopper chewed his food, a slight tinge of anger in his eye. He was being punished for something, she just didn't know what.

Hopper shoved the last piece of his biscuit in his mouth and drained his orange juice before wiping his mouth with his napkin. "Looks like I better get to it then. Don't want that ladder to completely turn to dust by the time I get back from town. Joyce you wanna tag along?"

Joyce nodded and was on her feet in seconds, following him out of the kitchen after she ushered a hasty goodbye over her shoulder and raced to the front door. Hopper already had the truck running by the time she scrambled into the cab and she waited until he backed out of his parking spot and headed down the driveway before speaking.

"What was all that?"

"Don't know what you're talking about." Hopper mumbled and turned right onto the main road after looking in both directions to make it was clear.

"Oh okay, I guess I was the only one who picked up on all that shit that happened over breakfast, got you." She snipped, not liking the fact that the entire family seemed to be keeping something from her.

"It's nothing, just drop it please." He begged, not looking away from the road as he spoke.

"Jim, something is going on and I don't have a clue what it is, but obviously something happened. Did I do something yesterday after my appointment? Did I say or do something wrong besides what you already told me?"

"No Joy, you didn't do anything."

Joyce could see frustration building in him once again and she really didn't want to push his anger over the edge. She knew he would never do anything to hurt her, but she also didn't want him to get to the point where he wanted to hit something.

"Honey please tell me what happened. If they don't want me to go see Dr. Brenner anymore then I won't. I just feel like everyone is mad at me and I have no clue why."

Hopper gripped the wheel tighter and huffed as he took a sharp right onto Main Street.

"Hop what did I-"

"It was me Joyce! They're mad at me." He snapped and pulled into the parking lot of the hardware store. He threw the truck in park and killed the engine, letting silence fill the cab.

Joyce sat patiently and waited for him to slow his breathing, knowing he would tell her once he got his head on straight. After a few minutes of sitting, and getting strange looks from the patrons entering and exiting the hardware store, he finally sighed and turned to look at her.

"When you didn't come to school yesterday I panicked and went home immediately after third period when I realized you weren't there. I found you sleeping on the couch with mom and she told me you were tired from your treatment and needed to rest. When she checked your fever, you woke up and you didn't know who we were, Joy." He breathed, the hurt clear in his voice.

"You were upset and I was scared shitless. When you finally remembered who I was, you were burning up and the only way we could bring down your fever was to put you in a cool bath. I had to hold you down to keep you in the tub honey. You were clawing at me and crying, and in my anger I said some things to mom that I had no right to say and it hurt her."

Joyce didn't say a word, just scooted over to his side of the cab and put her arms around him, pulling him into a hug the best she could in the awkward position. "Whatever you said, I'm sure she will forgive you for it."

"It's going to take some time. I asked her how she could make you go to that doctor again after the spell you had the first time. I was mad and didn't understand how she could be such a bad mother."

Joyce stiffened at his side. "Hop, please tell me you didn't say that to her." The hanging of his head was the only answer she needed. "Did you at least apologize?"

"Of course I did and she said she needed space. So that's why dad is making me fix the tree house today, so I wont be under her feet. He's pissed that I disrespected her and I can't blame him. He loves her like I love you, and I'll tell you now that if our kids ever say those things to you I'll react just like he did."

Joyce shifted and looked up at him from her spot at his side. "When you say 'our kids' it makes this little part of me excited and then another part of me wants to throw up." She confided. "I mean, look at Linda and Travis. They did a horrible job of raising me and it would kill me if I ever acted that way towards our children."

Hopper frowned at her confession and pulled her into his chest. "You know how I know you're going to make a great mother?"

When she began to protest he hushed her with a kiss.

"I know this because of the way you were raised and the shit you've been through. You know what it's like to have horrible parents and then you've also seen how wonderful mine are. You're compassionate, caring, and god knows you're patient because you put up with me. I promise you Joy, here and now, that when it comes time for us to be parents, we will be the next best thing to mine." He said with a smile and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Joyce sighed and squeezed him around his middle. "I love you. I honestly don't know if I would still be here if it wasn't for you."

"I'm not going anywhere sweetheart, you have me. Forever and always, nothing will ever change that."

His words helped heal a small part of her that was always afraid of being abandoned and she couldn't help but smile into his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get this over and done with so we can just relax for the rest of the day."

00000

"Hop, please be careful. I really don't want you to smash your thumb." Joyce said nervously from a few feet away where she was watching him struggle with part of the ladder.

"I've done this before Joy, I promise I'm not gonna- SON OF A BITCH!" Hopper yelled, immediately dropping the hammer and putting his thumb in his mouth.

Joyce quickly moved to his side, already knowing he was trying not to let her see the tears in his eyes. "I told you to be careful!" She stated, trying to pull his thumb out of his mouth.

"I was being careful until you distracted me about being careful!" He growled and let her take a hold of his wrist.

The skin underneath his chipped fingernail was already turning blue.

"Should we go back to the house and put some ice on it?" Joyce questioned, not letting go of his hand just yet.

"It'll be fine in a few minutes, just hurts."

"Are you going to be able to finish?"

Hopper nodded and looked back at the ladder which currently only had one rung with half of it nailed in place. "I have to. I really don't want to tell dad I couldn't finish the one thing he told me to do today."

Joyce brought the digit up to her lips and placed a light kiss to it. "There, all better." She laughed and Hopper smiled, leaning down to place a kiss to her forehead.

"Feels better already honey. Thank you."

Joyce stepped to the side to give him some space when he bent down to retrieve the hammer he had dropped in his moment of weakness. With a sigh, he went back to work and began hammering the nail in place, now with more hesitance than before. Once the rung in question was securely nailed into the frame, he pulled on it to make sure it wasn't loose.

"Is there anything I can do?" Joyce asked, feeling completely useless watching him while she just stood there.

"You can help me get these 2x4's into the tree house if you want. It shouldn't take long to get that back railing fixed, then we can just hang out."

Joyce nodded and walked over to grab one of the boards that were leaning against the bottom of the tree. "How am i supposed to get this thing up the ladder, it's taller than I am!" She groaned.

"Go on up and I'll climb as far as I can with it and hand it off to you."

Hopper smiled as he watched her quickly ascend the ladder, thankful that the new rungs didn't collapse under the measly amount of weight her entire body put on it.

"Alright, send em up!" She called, leaning out of the hatch with her arms stretched out.

"If they're too heavy for you let me know before you drop them so I can move out of the way." He teased and held up the first board.

"Come on, I'm not that weak!" She yelled down to him as her hands wrapped around the wooden slab. "See, nothing to it smart ass!"


	27. Chapter 27

While Hopper was out on the balcony fixing the broken railing, Joyce took the opportunity to tidy up the inside of the tree house without being interrupted. With no one actually staying there the past few months, there really wasn't much to do other than dust off a few things and sweep up the debris they tracked in on their shoes. She also grabbed the old sheet off the pullout and tossed it into the corner to take back to the house.

After folding the bed back and readjusting the cushions, she slid the small table over and started sweeping behind it. Catching the sight of something poking out from under the couch, she laid the broom against the wall and reached down to grab what she quickly realized was a polaroid. A chill ran up her spine when she flipped it over and saw it was a picture that had somehow fallen out of the little black box that was once hidden back there.

"Finally finished." The sound of Hopper's voice caused her to startle, her mind focused on the picture currently clutched in her hand. She looked up over her shoulder just as he dropped the hammer on the table and started walking toward her.

"What's that?" He asked when he stopped at her side, his hand coming out to rest on her hip.

Joyce blinked and shook her head, holding up the picture for him to see. "Must have fallen out of the box when dad moved it."

Taking the picture from her, Hopper stared at it briefly before tossing it onto the couch and turning his attention back to her. His finger carefully touched under her chin to make her look at him. "You alright?"

Joyce stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. "He can't hurt me anymore."

"You're damn right he can't." Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he pulled her against his chest and kissed her again.

Joyce squeezed his bicep when he pulled away and dropped her hand to pat the pockets of her sweatpants. "Did you bring your lighter with you?"

"You mean you don't have it?" He teased and dug into his jeans to retrieve the requested item.

Joyce jokingly made a face at his comment and picked up the polaroid from the couch. With the lighter in one hand and the picture in the other, she flicked the flame to life and brought it to the bottom of the photo, the heat slowly melting away another haunting memory from her past. Just before the polaroid was completely ruined, she blew out the flame and shook off the remaining ash from the edges. Now that the bruises were no longer staring back at her, she walked over to the wall that was still covered in countless pictures and pinned it beside the last row of smiling faces.

Hopper stood there silently as he watched her, feeling a rush of pride swell in his chest when the image slowly faded away behind the flame. Little things like this were exactly what she needed to continue healing, and the fact she didn't seem phased at all by the forgotten photo meant she was doing just that and getting better.

"How's your thumb?" Joyce asked when she turned to face him, her hand instinctively reaching for his to inspect the damaged digit once more.

"Still hurts, but it's fine." He could no longer feel his heart beating through it, so that was a plus.

"Do you want a band aid or something?"

Hopper shrugged and pulled her to sit with him. "Not really sure what good it would do."

"Guess you're right." She said and flopped back into the cushions with a sigh.

Hopper leaned forward and slid his shirt over his head when the feel of sweat in the material started making him uncomfortable. He watched as Joyce's eyes raked down his bare chest and toward his crotch, his abs flexing when he laid the shirt over the back of the couch. "Like what you see?" He teased and kicked off his shoes.

Joyce bit her lip at being caught staring and pulled her knees up toward her chest to hide the pink flush in her cheeks. She knew she shouldn't be embarrassed, especially after what she learned about her medication and how it affected her, but Hopper didn't know that and she didn't want him thinking that's all she wanted.

"Why are you blushing?" He asked with a grin and scooted closer to her.

Joyce playfully pushed on his shoulders, her face growing redder. "I'm not."

"Bullshit." He laughed and grabbed her ankles, tugging on her legs so she couldn't keep hiding behind her knees. "Just admit it, you can't resist this." Puffing out his chest, he flexed his muscles and slid a hand across his stomach, stopping at his belt buckle.

Joyce giggled and rolled her eyes. "I might be able to if it wasn't for this stupid medicine I'm taking." Her fingers dug into his side when he leaned forward and placed his hand on the arm of the couch behind her back.

"What are you talking about?" He asked as he settled over top of her.

Reaching up to thread her fingers into his hair, she pulled him closer. "Apparently the medicine I'm taking for my migraines heightens my sex drive. Which is why I'm always trying to get into your pants." She mumbled against his mouth, her tongue coming out to lick across the sensitive skin of his lower lip.

Hopper frowned when she avoided his attempt at a kiss, only getting a bite from her in return which caused him to whine, the sensation going directly between his legs. "So you wouldn't want me otherwise?" He asked with a pout.

Joyce smirked and sat up some to kiss at his neck, her lips brushing over the scratches that were starting to fade. "Hmm, I dunno…"

A growl rumbled in Hopper's chest at her teasing and he moved to stand, his hands going for the waist of her sweatpants. Before she had a chance to protest, he had them over her hips and down her legs with one quick pull. She just stared back at him wide eyed and pressed her thighs together. "What are you doing?"

"Making a point." He said with a grin and reached for her panties next, but she squeezed her legs together tighter to stop him.

"Honey I was just joking. Of course I want you, even without the medicine. You don't have to prove anything."

Hopper leaned forward to kiss her knee. "I want to taste you." He whispered, his voice making her shiver. "Plus I told you I'd return the favor after what you did for me in the truck, so spread em'." He demanded with a light tap to the outside of her thigh, the elastic of her panties still twisted in the fingers of his other hand.

Chewing on the inside of her cheek to suppress a moan, Joyce finally gave in and opened her legs, letting him remove her panties where they instantly joined her sweatpants somewhere over his shoulder. He grabbed a hold of her hips and pulled her closer to the edge of the couch before dropping to his knees on the floor in front of her. He shoved the bottom of her shirt up to her sternum and dipped his head to kiss a trail across her stomach, flicking his eyes up to meet hers as he wasted no time in swiping his tongue through her already dripping folds.

"Hop…" She whimpered, unsure if it was out of pleasure or frustration when he noticed she kept trying to find somewhere to rest her feet. Wrapping his fingers around her ankles as he continued to lick her, he placed her feet on his shoulders and slowly slid his hands down her legs, his tongue swirling around her clit before carefully sucking it into his mouth.

The new placement gave her better leverage and she lifted her hips in search of something more, anything to help propel her building orgasm. Hopper gave her exactly what she wanted and slipped his tongue inside her, his teeth accidentally brushing across her clit in his haste.

When she cried out at the contact, he froze, thinking maybe he'd hurt her, until she curled her fingers into his hair and thrust against his face. "So close baby." She whined and started a steady rhythm with her hips in time with the circular motion he was creating with his tongue.

Hopper slid his hands under her and grabbed her ass to hold her against his mouth when he heard her breath hitch, knowing she was about to come. A second later she moaned his name and shook against him, her nails clawing into his scalp as she rode out the waves of her orgasm. He licked and sucked her through it, only stopping when she finally went limp and her legs dropped down his back.

Carefully placing a kiss to each of her thighs, he slipped his hands out from under her and readjusted his erection in his jeans before standing and joining her on the couch. "You alright?" He asked with a smile when her arm came up to cover her face.

"Perfect." She breathed and shifted when he pulled her against his chest, his hands roaming her back and sides to help calm her shaking.

"I'll never get over how sexy it is watching you come undone." He murmured into her ear.

The puff of air against her skin made the hair on her neck stand at attention as the trembles wracking throughout her body started to slow. "And I'll never understand how you're so good at that." She chuckled. "I love you."

Hopper cupped her cheek, bringing her lips to his. "I love you too."

When Joyce shifted in his embrace, he let her go and watched as she gathered her clothes from the floor and slipped on her panties. She groaned and scrunched her face when she bent over a second time to step into her sweatpants.

"I don't know why my body still hurts after that. It's like every ounce of stress I've felt for the past few months completely disappeared, but getting dressed is suddenly a challenge."

"I'm sorry honey, do you want me to rub your legs?" He offered and reached out for her, not at all surprised she was still sore. He knew he always felt like crap the next day after running a fever.

"You've already done enough. I just want to relax and listen to some music, maybe paint my toenails." When she moved back toward the couch she spotted the bulge behind his jeans and paused in front of him. "Unless you want me to take care of that for you?" She raised her brow suggestively and gestured with her hand toward his obvious erection.

The offer was tempting, but this wasn't about him. He hadn't done it with the intention of receiving anything in return. "I'd rather watch you paint those cute little toes of yours." He laughed and twirled the string of her sweatpants around his finger, his other hand coming to rest on her hip. "Do you even have any nail polish?"

"Mom gave me some a while ago, should still be over here..." Taking a step to her left, Joyce stretched out to dig behind a few books on one of the many shelves in the room while Hopper continued to play with the string on her pants. He eyed her curiously when she pulled down a bottle of dark purple nail polish.

"When did she give it to you?" He asked and finally unraveled his finger to allow her to sit beside him.

Pulling off her socks, Joyce propped a foot up on the edge of the couch and shook the purple liquid around in the bottle a few times before unscrewing the cap. "Right after I came home from the hospital. She figured it would give me something to do when I got bored, but I never got around to using it. The book you gave me from the library that first week kept me busy and I honestly forgot I had it until now." She said with a shrug and leaned forward.

Hopper focused on her hand as she wiped the brush on the side of the bottle, then steadily painted a line down the middle of her big toenail. The amount of precision she used to make sure to not mark her skin surprised him. He couldn't recall ever seeing her with her nails painted in the past, but the way she effortlessly flowed through each nail without a problem meant she'd obviously done this before.

When she finished with the first foot, she set the bottle down on the table beside the couch and lightly blew on the wet paint coating her nails. "What do you think?" She asked, holding her leg out for him to get a better look as she leaned back against the arm of the couch.

Hopper carefully grabbed her ankle, making sure to not let the paint touch anything as he placed her foot in his lap to inspect her work. "You did a really good job." He admitted, a blush rising in his cheeks when he looked up to find her staring at him with a grin on her face. "What?"

Joyce just shook her head, not wanting to embarrass him by saying how adorable he was. Reaching behind her, she grabbed the bottle and held it out for him. "Give it a try." She offered and removed the foot already in his lap to replace it with her unpainted one.

"You saw how well I handled a hammer earlier, I'll just end up making a mess."

"I don't care, please?" She begged and gave him a look she knew he couldn't resist. He deflated almost instantly and took the polish from her with a sigh.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Carefully unscrewing the cap, Hopper mimicked what he'd seen her do and wiped the excess paint off the brush onto the side of the bottle before bringing it down to her nail. His first stroke across the middle was perfect, but when he got closer to the edge and smeared purple onto her skin, he froze and flicked his eyes up to see her smiling at him.

"Honey, it's okay." She promised, the look on his face making her chuckle. Reaching over the edge of the couch to grab her discarded sock, she brought it to her foot and quickly wiped away the paint from her skin. "See? Nothing to it. Just go slow and take your time."

When Joyce leaned back again, Hopper's demeanor completely changed. His tongue poked out slightly between his teeth and he leaned forward with a look of determination. His fingers clutched the brush delicately as he went back to slowly painting her nails, only using the sock a few more times when he grew nervous and lost his concentration. Joyce made sure to encourage him when she felt him tense, wanting him to have fun with the experience instead of getting stressed over the littlest mistake.

Hopper felt relief wash over him when he screwed the lid back onto the little bottle, his head dipping slightly to blow air onto her still wet nails. He shifted to lean back when she removed her foot from his lap to admire his handy work.

"You did a lot better than I did the first time I tried painting my nails. I remember Travis getting mad because I got a little bit of the polish on the porch." She stated, finally looking up from her purple toes to meet his gaze.

"I don't understand why he would have been mad about that, that was already a piece of shit. Then again, I don't really understand why he did a lot of things." He offered, tossing the sock he'd be holding to the floor with her other one.

"Me neither. Just have to do our best to forget it, ya know?" She said, watching as he suddenly grabbed the bottle again and got to his knees on the couch beside her. "What are you doing?"

Hopper carefully removed the top of the polish once more, choosing not to wipe away the extra paint this time. With slightly shaky hands, he placed the tip of the brush to the wall behind the couch, first drawing a horizontal line and eventually turning it into a capital J. Joyce continued to watch in silence as he drew out letters onto the wall beside the window until he recapped the polish and sat back on his heels. Painted a few inches above the worn out couch were two initials separated by a small heart. J.H. 3 J.H.

"Oh my God Hop, that's adorable!" Joyce squealed.

"And just think, when we get married your initials aren't going to change. It will always be J.H." The expression on her face caused him to start grinning like an idiot.

"You really want to marry me someday?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Honey, I've wanted to marry you since the fifth grade." He wasn't sure how to make it any more clear this was it for him, that no other woman would ever capture his heart the way she had. Moving off his knees to sit, he carefully leaned into the arm of the couch, pulling her with him to where she settled between his legs with her chest against his. "I love you more than anything Joy, never forget that."

Joyce closed her eyes and snuggled her face into the crook of his neck when he kissed the side of her head. "I love you too Hop. I don't understand how I got so lucky."

Hopper snorted and stroked his fingers through her hair. "I'm the lucky one. I know people say perfect doesn't exist, but they obviously haven't met you."

00000

Greg slowly made his way into the kitchen, conscious to slightly duck as he entered to not hit his head on the archway. Warmth instantly spread through his chest at the sight of Mary standing in front of the sink, pretending to scrub non existent stains off of the porcelain. Unfortunately for her, Greg knew exactly what she was really doing.

"The kids aren't home yet I guess?" He whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist, smiling slightly when she jumped at his touch.

"Not yet, I figured Jim needed some space, and you know Joyce will follow him anywhere. They should be coming in soon though, it's almost dark." Mary leaned back into her husband's embrace and rested her head on his chest, thankful once again that she had this man in her life.

"Has he said anything to you?" Greg questioned and placed a delicate kiss to the back of her neck, knowing good and damn well what it did to her. She was already squirming against him.

"He apologized this morning. Said that he was just stressed and worried Joyce wasn't going to remember him. I get it, I do, but the things he said really hurt. I told him I needed time, but what I really needed was to finish my coffee, deep clean house, and take a nap. All of which I've done."

"So you forgive him then?"

Mary turned around to face Greg, her hands coming up to play with the hair at the back of his neck. "Of course I do. He may be a young man now, but he will always be my baby. The one who was afraid of thunderstorms until he was fourteen. My little boy who always brought me dandelions because weeds could be pretty too. Nothing will ever change my love for him."

Greg leaned in, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Good, because they're coming up the driveway now."

00000

Joyce lightly squeezed Hopper's hand when she felt how anxious he'd become the closer they got to the farm. He was usually good at hiding his emotions, but when it came to her, she just knew without having to ask.

"Everything will be fine Honey. She's your mother, she'll forgive you."

"I know, but she shouldn't have to."

Taking the front steps two at a time, Hopper quickly stomped his feet like he had a million times, getting off all the mud from his worn out boots that he could before leaning down and quickly uniting them. Joyce followed his lead for the most part, choosing to smack the soles of her shoes together rather than stomping around. Hopper, ever the gentleman, opened the front door and allowed her to enter first, the smell of chicken pie immediately assaulting them.

Hopper followed Joyce into the kitchen where she made a beeline for the sink to wash up before dinner. His father was sitting in his usual seat at the head of the table, a file from the precinct in front of him. Hopper gazed around the kitchen until the sight of his mother coming out of the pantry caught his attention. It took less than four steps for him to cross the small space and pull her into his arms, her slight intake of breath telling him he'd caught her by surprise.

"I'm so sorry mom." He whispered, hugging her tighter than he had in a long time.

Mary wrapped her arms around his middle and held him close, feeling the stress of the day slowly start to fade. "I'm sorry too honey. Never again okay?"

Hopper, at a loss for words only nodded and loosened his hold on her. She took his hand and led him to the kitchen table where Greg had packed up his folder, and Joyce was waiting patiently for him to take the seat beside her.

"Alright everyone," Mary stated. "Let's eat."

00000

Weeks later...

"Hop, cut it out." Joyce whined at him kissing on her neck in the crowded hallway. When he nipped her instead of stopping, she tossed her book into her locker with a growl and reached down to squeeze him through his jeans, causing his breath to hitch.

"Alright, alright." He whispered and swallowed when she released him.

Slamming her locker shut, she turned around and stood on her tiptoes, placing her hands on his shoulders. "You know what that does to me."

Hopper smiled and pressed his lips to hers, gently backing her against the wall. "I can't help it." She knew he couldn't resist her neck, and the fact she had her hair pulled back exposing the smooth skin was just asking for trouble.

"You do realize the entire school can see you right?" A familiar feminine voice said, causing Joyce peeked around Hopper to see Karen and Benny slowly approaching them.

"So what." Hopper chuckled and sucked Joyce's lower lip into his mouth with a soft bite before letting her go.

"Did you ever talk to your dad about camping?" Benny asked as they walked through the hallway and headed toward the parking lot.

Hopper held the door open for everyone, then took Joyce's hand in his where she happily threaded their fingers together. "He's supposed to discuss it with my mom, but I don't think it'll be a problem."

"Spring Break is in two weeks Jim, might want to get it figured out soon. That way we can plan to do something else if they don't want us down there." Benny said, stopping at his truck to unlock the passenger door for Karen.

"I know." Hopper sighed, not wanting to mention that his mother was worried about Benny in particular and not that they would be at the quarry for two days unsupervised. "I'll ask them again tonight and call you tomorrow."

"What about alcohol?" Karen questioned, moving to sit inside the truck.

Hopper reached into his pocket and pulled out his cigarettes, handing one to Joyce since she still had his lighter. "Should be fine, we've had it out there before, I just don't know where we would get any."

"Didn't the Chief get it for us last time?" Benny asked as he tossed his book bag into the bed of his truck.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to push my luck when he's hesitant about us going out there in the first place."

"Guys relax, I only asked because there's plenty at my house we can take. I just wanted to make sure your dad wouldn't mind." Karen said, watching as everyone turned to stare at her. "Did you both forget that I throw a party every year when school gets out? My parents don't give a shit."

"Right." Hopper added, taking the cigarette from Joyce when she started coughing.

"Will you please get a pack with filters next time? Jesus." Joyce questioned, spitting a stray piece of tobacco from her mouth as she tried not to cough again.

Hopper held back a laugh as he took a drag from the cigarette and exhaled the smoke with ease. "I was hoping this would get you to quit, then you wouldn't have a reason to keep stealing all my damn lighters." He teased.

Joyce responded by sticking out her tongue, a smile quickly forming on her face when he pulled her against him and tried to suck her tongue into his mouth.

"I think that's our queue to leave babe." Benny said with a chuckle, moving to shut Karen's door. "Don't forget to call me tomorrow Jim."

"I won't." Hopper said, sending Karen a wave goodbye as Benny climbed into his side of the truck and headed toward the exit of the parking lot.

"Good job Hop, you scared away our friends." Joyce laughed and watched as he stubbed out his cigarette under his boot.

"If you weren't so damn cute this wouldn't happen." Joyce squealed when he lifted her into his arms and started walking over to his truck a few feet away, his lips already attacking her neck as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He stopped briefly with her pressed against his driver side door to kiss her properly, taking his time to make her moan into his mouth before setting her feet on the ground.

"Come on, we'll finish this later." He said with a grin and reached around her to unlock the door.


	28. Chapter 28

"Joyce? Could I speak with you for a moment Honey?" Mary questioned as she anxiously watched Greg and Jim load up her son's truck for their camping trip.

Joyce turned carefully from Hopper's side, already nervously biting her lip as she walked across the driveway and up the steps to join the older woman.

"Let's have a seat on the swing." Mary gestured behind them, wanting to keep their conversation private.

"Am I in trouble?" Joyce asked, her eyes dropping to her lap where she unconsciously started picking at her fingernails as the two slowly began to sway back and forth.

"Honey no, you're not in trouble." Mary sighed. "I just worry about you is all. I don't want you going on this trip because you feel obligated to please your friends, or Jim for that matter. If at any point you feel uncomfortable or want to come home you tell Jim, or contact me or Greg on the radio and we'll come get you, okay?"

Joyce lifted her head and gave Mary a silent nod, knowing she was still uneasy about her being around Benny, which was understandable, but Benny hadn't given her any reason since the incident to suspect he'd try anything again. All of his attention had been focused on Karen as of late and Joyce knew Hopper would protect her in the off chance something did actually happen.

"I promise, if anything starts to feel off I'll call on the radio. But I don't think it will. Jim and Karen will be there and they would both kick Benny's ass if he tried anything."

Mary smirked slightly and let the curse slide since they weren't technically in the house. Joyce watched as the best mother figure she'd ever had stood and looked out towards the old blue Chevy once more. Making sure neither of the men were looking, she quickly held out her hand, a small pocket knife sitting in her palm. "It's not much, but it will get the point across if you come into any kind of trouble." Mary whispered, placing the knife into Joyce's hands.

"I don't think I'll-"

"It's mainly for my piece of mind. I know nothing is going to happen to you, but my mama bear instincts are a little overloaded right now. Jim can fend for himself, but I worry about you."

Joyce carefully flipped the knife over and took in the carved details on the wooden handle.

"My mother gave it to me on my first trip with boys and I thought it would be nice to carry on the tradition to you. Then someday when you have a daughter and she gets her heart set on somebody, you can pass it on to her."

Joyce could barely contain the tears that were threatening to fall at the thought of one day having a daughter, especially with Hopper. It made her heart ache in a way that she wasn't used to.

The sound of that very person's voice suddenly carried across the yard and she quickly shoved the knife into her pocket. "Come on Joyce, we need to set up camp before it gets dark!"

Joyce looked over to Mary once more and quickly pulled her into a hug. When Mary's arms wrapped around her she felt loved, and finally acknowledged that she was accepted by this incredible woman. That she would always have a home here no matter what.

"Go on Darlin'. Have fun and please be careful. Don't take any shit from the boys either. Just because they have dicks doesn't make them smarter than you." Joyce had to hold back a laugh at Mary's statement and practically ran down the steps into Hopper's awaiting arms.

"Ready to go?" He asked and placed a kiss to the top of her head.

Joyce mumbled into his shirt and pulled away slightly at the feel of Greg's hand on her shoulder.

"Behave." Is all Greg said to the both of them before joining Mary on the front porch.

00000

The sight of Benny's black pickup truck greeted them when Hopper pulled off the main road and down the overgrown path that led to the quarry. As long as they didn't draw too much attention to themselves, they would be having a peaceful weekend full of campfire cooked hotdogs, drinking, swimming, and uninterrupted 'snuggles'.

Karen waved from where she was sitting on the tailgate of the truck with Benny standing between her legs as they rolled to a stop in front of them. "You guys ready for an awesome weekend?" She squealed as Joyce climbed out of Hopper's truck.

"I'm just ready to eat to be honest. Breakfast wore off a long time ago." Benny commented.

"When are you ever not ready to eat? I swear, you and Joyce both literally stuff your faces with everything and your body doesn't change at all." Karen laughed as she shifted in Benny's embrace to stand.

"What can I say, Joyce and I are gifted by the food gods." Benny joked and reluctantly let Karen get to her feet. "Thankfully no one else had the same idea to come down here this weekend. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a good party, but I just want it to be us. No drama, just food, swimming and drinking."

"Benny, are you going to follow me down the path or do you want to go first?" Hopper called out the window from inside his truck.

"You can go down first and I'll follow. Just take it easy, my truck isn't as big as yours." Benny said and headed toward his driver side door. Taking the hint, Joyce climbed back into the cab of Hopper's truck and gave him a confused look.

"What are we doing, Hop? I thought we parked here and walked down?" Joyce asked as he slowly began to drive through a worn out trail that went over one of the numerous hills that covered the land around the quarry.

"I didn't bring the tent. Snakes and all those nasty ass bugs are out of hibernation this time of year and I would feel like complete shit if you got bit or couldn't sleep because you were scared something might crawl on you." Hopper commented as he adjusted his grip on the steering wheel. "We're going to be sleeping in the truck beds. We got poles to set up on the outside off the truck and enough tarps to make a cover. I brought the air mattress too so we wouldn't be uncomfortable. If for some reason bad weather comes up, we can sit in the cab until it passes instead of having to hike back a mile or be miserable in a cold tent that might leak."

"That's actually pretty smart, because we both know if I see a snake I am going to freak the fuck out." Joyce stated, trying to ignore the cold chill that ran up her arms at the thought.

Hopper couldn't help but laugh. "I've been known to make smart decisions every once in a while." He teased. "Not to mention this will be a lot faster to set up so we can cook dinner and maybe get a swim in before it gets dark."

The thought of swimming didn't really bother Joyce, she knew how to doggy paddle fairly well, it was the thought of being in a swimsuit in front of someone other than Hopper that made her anxious. The suit she had decided on back at the mall fit her perfectly, but showed off more skin than she was comfortable with. Had Hopper not insisted she looked amazing in it, she would have left it on the shelf in the store and happily swam in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

As if he had read her mind, Hopper took his right hand off of the steering wheel and placed it on her knee. "You look incredible in that suit Joyce. Don't let your scars keep you from feeling beautiful."

"You might think it's beautiful, but I feel like a deformed troll when I look at them." She mumbled, resting her hand on top of his.

"And it's okay to feel like that Honey. Hopefully one day you'll grow to love yourself and your body as much as I do."

Joyce couldn't help the smile that graced her lips at the wonderful man sitting beside her and the way he always knew exactly what to say to give her the confidence she needed. She knew that one day she would be able to look in the mirror and actually love the person staring back at her. She just hoped that it didn't take forever.

00000

Setting up their makeshift tents didn't take long at all, especially with the captain and co-captain of the wrestling team shoving poles into the soft ground surrounding the waters edge, their trucks parked tailgate facing tailgate with about twenty feet in between.

"It's fucking hot out here." Benny complained as he pulled his now soaked shirt over his head. Joyce wrinkled her nose at the sight, but Karen practically purred beside her.

"Why don't you go jump in the water and cool off a bit Honey?" Karen suggested as she went to his side.

"Well hell, I don't want to go out there by myself."

"Who said you were going by yourself?" Karen laughed and dug through her bag on the truck's tailgate, pulling out a light blue bathing suit.

Benny threw his shirt onto the hood of his truck, his hands going for the belt buckle at his waist before Karen had the chance to drop down part of the tarp to hide behind. Joyce quickly averted her gaze, choosing instead to look for Hopper who was standing at the edge of the water, his shoes and socks already abandoned on the shore. She watched in fascination as he hesitantly stuck his big toe into the water and quickly pulled it back out again.

"The water is cold as fuck!" He called over his shoulder and reached down to grab his things. The words were barely out of his mouth before Benny quickly ran past him and into the crystal clear water in nothing but his boxers. Karen's squeal of excitement was short lived as soon as her calves were submerged.

"Holy shit it's freezing!" She whined, not wanting to venture out to Benny who was already shoulder deep.

"Come on a babe, it's not that bad. Just get in and you'll get used to it."

Joyce stayed seated in her chair, laughing at the way the other couple splashed and teased each other, knowing Hopper was going to make her get in sooner rather than later. When he approached her side, he already had a gleam of mischief in his eyes. "Wanna get changed and join them?"

"Did you bring extra blankets? I'm going to have a hard time getting warm once I'm out of the water." Joyce said, trying to delay the inevitable

"Way ahead of you Honey. I brought three blankets, a pair of my winter socks, and a sweatshirt." He beamed, knowing she wouldn't have an excuse now.

"You promise you'll do whatever it takes to get me warm tonight?" She giggled and followed him over to his truck, his hands quickly digging into their bag to find her red swimsuit.

"You put this on and get in the water with me, and I'll do anything you want Darlin'." He smiled coyly.

Joyce smirked and hopped up onto the tailgate, taking the suit from him. She unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down her legs, tossing them beside the air mattress before lifting her shirt over her head. The tarp wasn't high enough for her to properly stand straight, having to slouch slightly, but it gave her the privacy and space she needed to comfortably undress.

Hopper continued standing on the ground, using the small bit of tarp he'd purposely left hanging over the edge of the truck to hide behind as he stripped down to his boxers. Once his trunks were on over his hips, he looked up to see Joyce struggling to tie her top and crawled onto the tailgate, propping himself up on his knees.

"Turn around." He said and she held the suit to her chest, doing as instructed. Carefully taking the strings in his hands, he tied them together behind her neck and placed his lips to the soft skin just below her ear. "There, now hurry up." He chuckled, laying a light slap to her ass as he leaned back onto his heels.

Joyce let out a small yelp and spun around with a fake scowl. "You're lucky I'm even wearing this thing. Don't rush me."

Hopper grabbed a hold of her hips and jerked her forward, making her gasp at the sudden movement. He dipped his head and kissed her stomach as his fingers wrapped around the elastic of her panties. "You're welcome to wear nothing if you'd like, but I don't exactly want Benny or Karen getting an eyeful of this." Tugging on the thin cotton, Hopper immediately froze at the sight before him, a pathetic whine catching in his throat. "Fuck baby."

Hopper wasn't stupid, he knew Joyce kept things maintained below the waist and that girls shaved their bikini lines, but this was the first time he'd ever seen her completely bare and it left him speechless. A hand came into his line of view and he flicked his eyes up to meet hers as she slid her panties the rest of the way down her legs.

"Hop, you've seen me naked countless times. Pick your jaw back up and let me get dressed before they come looking for us." She complained and reached for the bottom half of her swimsuit just as he dug his fingers into her thighs and pushed her onto the air mattress, his head quickly dipping between her legs.

Joyce couldn't help but moan when his tongue swiped through her folds, the feeling going straight to her toes, but she knew they didn't have time to get carried away and grabbed a fist full of his hair. "Honey no...we can't."

Hopper only moved enough for her to hear him speak, not reacting at all to the painful grip she had on him. "I'll make it quick." He panted and immediately went back to sucking on her clit.

"No...fuck, stop." Joyce whimpered, her voice heavy with desire, which only made Hopper more conflicted. Her body was screaming with pleasure to the point he could practically feel her buzzing beneath his fingertips, but he reluctantly lifted his head with a pout and let her go.

Taking a second to catch her breath, Joyce shifted into a sitting position and looked down at him, noticing his lip sticking out. "Honey don't be upset, we have all night to continue this."

Sliding further up the mattress, Hopper placed his hand on the side of her neck, his thumb brushing over the hollow of her throat. "You can't show me something like that and not expect me to react like this." He growled and wrapped his fingers around her wrist to bring her hand to the front of his swimming trunks. "I'm so fucking hard right now. Why would you keep that from me?"

Joyce chewed on the inside of her cheek and squeezed him gently, his hips unconsciously thrusting against her palm. "I wanted it to be a sur-"

"Are you two going to join us sometime this decade?" Karen's voice interrupted them, causing Joyce to startle and jerk her hand away.

Hopper sighed and let her go, once again sitting back on his knees. "Promise me I'll get to see all of you tonight?" He pleaded, watching as she pulled her bikini bottoms up and over her hips.

"I promise, but only if you behave." She replied with a wink, her hand lightly smacking against his cheek as she walked past him and jumped down off the tailgate to the dirt below.

For the second time in a matter of minutes, Joyce had to tell Hopper to pick up his jaw.

00000

"I don't want to do this anymore. Go on without me, I'll guard the camp." Joyce whined from her spot on the shore. One dip of her foot in the freezing water and she knew she wasn't going to enjoy herself.

"Oh come on Joyce, it's not that bad once you get in, I promise." Karen called from her perch on Benny's shoulders.

"Easy for you to say, you're not even in the water!" Joyce yelled back.

It took less than two seconds for Benny to duck his head and throw Karen off his shoulders in front of him. "There, she's in the water. Now come on, don't be a spoil sport!" Benny grinned.

Karen resurfaced and laid a snack to his chest. "I was almost dry asshole!"

"Ow! What's your point? You'd have to get wet when you got out anyway. Did you expect me to levitate your ass to shore?" Benny countered.

"The sooner you're in, the sooner you'll get used to it." Hopper said from behind Joyce, drawing her attention away from Karen and Benny's playful banter.

"I think I'm go- hey! Put me down!" Joyce screamed in protest as she found herself leaving the safety of the shore, Hopper's strong arms flinging her over his shoulder.

"Whew! You guys weren't kidding about it being chilly." He said to the others as the water met his knee caps.

"James Kenneth Hopper you put me down right this instant or so help me I'll-" Joyce's words were immediately silenced as her body dropped into the quarry, her head getting completely submerged. Thankfully she had enough time to grab her nose before she went under, the feeling of a million ice cubes surrounding her as she kicked her legs and resurfaced with a gasp.

"You told me to put you down! I was just doing what you said!" Hopper laughed, moving deeper into the water as she slowly waded over to him with a glare.

With strength she didn't know she had, Joyce climbed up his body, ignoring the heat that spread through her stomach as she wrapped her legs around his waist and his hands found their way to her ass.

"You're not behaving Jim." She whispered into his ear. "I guess you really don't want to taste me later."

Hopper audibly groaned in response and pulled her tighter against him. "I promise I'll be good." He murmured into her neck, his lips brushing over her pulse.

"Fine, but you owe me."

00000

The afternoon passed in a blur of Marco Polo, games of chicken and just floating around in the crystal clear water until the sun started to set. True to the statement first one in, last one out, Karen had to practically beg Benny to come to shore. They still hadn't made a campfire, or dinner for that matter and she was starving.

"Babe come on! You won't be able to see if there are any snakes in there with you!" Karen whined from where she was standing, a starch white towel wrapped around her body.

"That's the point! I don't want to see them bite me!"

"Benny you get out of that water right now!" Karen yelled, stomping her foot on the wet sand for good measure.

Hopper rolled his eyes at Benny being his usual stubborn self and continued gathering sticks to start a fire since Joyce hadn't been lying about how cold she was once they went to change. Even with his socks, a sweater and sweatpants, he could still see her shivering from where he was knelt down beside the old circle of stones that had been there for years.

"You going to be okay, Joy?" He asked as he placed more kindling on the fire to get it burning the way he wanted.

"I'll be fine once I warm up."

"Hopefully eating will help. Can you hand me the cooler and those clothes hangers?"

Joyce wasted no time in getting to her feet, the mere thought of food making her stomach growl.

"Holy shit Joyce, was that your stomach or a bear in the woods?" Benny laughed as he finally joined them and ran a towel through his hair.

"Real funny. I know you're starving too."

"Naturally. I would have been on my second meal of the evening by now."

"If you help me straighten these hangers, we'll be eating in no time." Hopper said and held out his hand for them to each take one.

"What do we need these for?" Karen asked as she tried and failed to straighten hers.

"You have much to learn about camping young grasshopper." Benny joked and took the hanger from her. Joyce didn't miss the 'hmph' that came from Karen as she leaned in closer to see exactly what her boyfriend was doing.

00000

Dinner was a huge success by camping standards, the only casualty being a single hotdog which lost it's life to the sand of the beach as it fell from Hopper's fingers.

"I'm glad your mom was able to get ketchup and mustard packets from Patsy's. I never would have thought about that." Benny commented as he leaned back in his chair, patting his stomach.

"She's a smart woman. She managed to keep my ass alive somehow after all." Hopper laughed and turned his head at the sound of Joyce coming back from the truck to crawl into his lap. His arm automatically wrapped around her waist, his hand resting on her hip.

With everyone finally seated and a beer in each of their hands, Hopper shifted in his seat to get comfortable and pointed at Karen. "You go first."

"Why me?" Karen asked with her brow raised.

Benny nudged her shoulder playfully. "Just go." He insisted.

Karen rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine." She thought for a second and looked over at Joyce. "Truth or dare?"

Joyce was a little surprised she'd been chosen first and decided to keep it simple since she'd never played before. "Truth."

Karen took a sip of her beer and crossed her legs. "Have you and Jim really known each other since you were little?" She asked.

Joyce leaned back into Hopper's chest, looking between everyone before speaking. "Well yeah, why would I lie about that?" She laughed. "We met at church when I was three and since we were neighbors, we spent a lot of time with each other. With everything going on at school and my life, it just wasn't ideal for us to be together until now. But yeah, we've been best friends since the moment we first met." A blush covered her cheeks when she finished.

Karen smiled, and of course Benny let out an exaggerated "Aww." which caused Hopper to kick him in the shin.

Joyce giggled and shook her head at their childish behavior. "So now I just ask anyone?" Hopper gave her a nod and she bit her lip. "Benny, truth or dare?"

"Dare." He answered without hesitation, a smirk playing at his lips.

"I dare you to open a new beer and chug it." Joyce said and took a sip of her own, quickly learning she didn't care at all for the bitter liquid.

"Oooo." Hopper mocked and watched as Benny reached down to grab a new can out of the cardboard case at his feet.

Benny popped the top and stood, tipping his head back and chugging the entire beer in a few quick gulps before tossing the can down and flexing his muscles like he'd just won some sort of competition.

"Alright big man, sit down and stop making a fool of yourself." Karen teased.

"Jim." Benny called as he moved his chair closer to Karen and plopped down." Truth or dare?"

Hopper knew Benny well enough at this point to know if he chose dare he'd make him do something ridiculous. "Truth." He said, swallowing down the rest of his beer and tossing the can with Benny's near the fire.

Benny rubbed his hands together and leaned forward slightly. "Have you and Joyce had sex yet?"

Joyce's face instantly turned red and Hopper rubbed his hand over her thigh. She didn't need to be embarrassed, this was something people their age gossiped about all the time, and she was giving Benny exactly what he wanted by asking such a personal question. He wanted to make them uncomfortable, but Hopper wasn't going to fall into his trap.

"If you must know, yes." Hopper said with confidence as he opened up another beer and set it in the drink holder that his chair came equipped with.

"Well congrats, it's good to know you're finally not a virgin anymore." He joked and flinched at Karen lightly pinching his side. "Ow."

"Be nice." Karen said with a laugh, giving Joyce a sympathetic look.

Joyce just grinned and shifted in Hopper's lap with her legs tossed over the arm of the chair and the side of her head resting against his shoulder. She finished the contents of her own beer and threw the can into the growing pile on the ground.

"Truth or dare Benny?" Hopper asked as he idly played with Joyce's hair that was running down her back.

"Again?" Benny huffed. "Fine, dare."

Hopper squeezed Joyce's leg where his other hand was resting near her ass before he spoke. "I dare you to strip naked and jump into the quarry."

Joyce's mouth fell open and Benny's eyebrows raised to his hairline. "Come on Jim, I just now started to feel my toes again."

"Sorry, rules are rules." His lips curled into a smirk around the can he was currently drinking from.

"Paybacks a bitch." Karen laughed, already feeling a little tipsy from the four beers she'd had since dinner.

"Shit…" With a huff, Benny stood and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it onto the back of his chair before tugging on the strings of his gym shorts. They dropped to his feet so fast Joyce didn't have a chance to turn her head and her hand came to her mouth to hide her gasp. Benny attempted to cover himself with his hands when everyone's eyes were suddenly on him. "I hate all of you."

Hopper wasn't phased in the least at Benny being naked, having seen enough of him during their years of wrestling together, but he did get a thrill out of watching Joyce react to seeing their friends pale ass disappear into the night as the sound of him splashing against the water echoed off the rocks around them. In a way, Joyce was still pretty sheltered when it came to things like this, and it made him happy that he was getting to share these experiences with her.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Benny cursed as he came running back up the small hill soaking wet with his hands still covering himself. He grabbed a towel hanging off the tree where they were drying and wrapped it around his waist before sitting back down in his chair, his hands coming out to warm up by the fire. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up."

Karen grabbed another towel, laying it around his shoulders so he didn't freeze to death and placed a kiss on his cheek. "At least you got to show off that cute butt of yours."

"Ok, that's uncalled for." Hopper chuckled, his empty beer can crashing into another as he threw it away. He was pretty sure he was finished drinking for the night, already feeling his head swimming. "I have to admit, I'm surprised you actually did it." He said, leaning forward enough to give Benny a fist bump of respect.

Benny took a second to dry off his hair and upper body before slipping his shirt back on. "Karen, truth or dare?"

Karen turned in her chair to hang the towel that wasn't wrapped around Benny's waist back on the tree. "Dare."

"I dare you to make out with Joyce for at least two minutes." Benny said with a smirk.

Hopper felt Joyce tense in his lap and watched as she whipped her head around to stare at Benny. "Wait, what?" She asked, slightly confused as to why she had been included in the dare.

"You pig." Karen wrinkled her nose and Benny held up his hands.

"After what I just had to do, this is nothing."

Hopper stroked Joyce's thigh to get her to relax a little bit. "It's alright." He whispered into her ear where no one else would hear and silently met Benny's eyes, a conversation forming between them without words.

Karen stood with a sigh and made her way over to where Joyce was still cuddled up in Jim's lap and bent down so she was leaning over them. "Are you ok with this?" She asked. The rules of the game were clear, she had to do the dare, but she wanted to make sure Joyce was at least somewhat on board before shoving a tongue down her throat.

Joyce gave her a nod and reached up to cup her cheek as she closed the gap between them and tentatively pressed her lips to Karen's. Small fingers curled into Joyce's hair, her tongue finding its way passed her parted lips with ease as they slowly sucked and licked one another. Karen was careful and delicate in the way she moved and her lips were too soft, which was something Joyce wasn't at all used to.

The two minutes were quickly coming to an end and everything had been going just fine inside of Joyce's head, until she felt Hopper's fingers digging into her hip and noticed him growing hard against her ass. The combination of her boyfriend touching her while she made out with a girl, and the fact he was getting turned on by it, suddenly had her confused at the feeling coursing through her.

Thankfully Karen pulled away before she could start overthinking and Joyce quickly buried her face against Hopper's chest to hide her flushed expression.

"Happy?" Karen asked, looking at Benny who was almost drooling on himself.

"Oh yeah." He replied, resting his hand on her leg when she returned to her seat beside him.

Karen intertwined their fingers together and looked across the fire at Jim. "Your girl's a damn fine kisser. If I didn't like men I might just try to steal her away from you." She said with a wink.

Hopper chuckled and kissed the top of Joyce's head. "Trust me, I know." Pulling her tighter against him, he shifted his hips to readjust his erection under her as discreetly as possible. "I'm sorry." He apologized, keeping his voice low as Benny and Karen spoke among themselves for a minute. He wasn't really sure if she was bothered by the way his body had reacted to watching the two of them together.

Joyce lifted her head to kiss his chin and purposely pressed her ass into him. "If you knew how wet I was, you wouldn't be apologizing."

"Fuck." Hopper breathed, a grin spreading across her face.

"Alright lovebirds, are we still playing?" Karen asked, interrupting them.

Joyce cleared her throat and turned slightly in Hopper's lap. "Yep."

"Jim, Truth or Dare?" Karen asked, stroking her thumb over Benny's hand.

Hopper paused for a second to think and looked over at Benny, then back to Karen. "Dare." He figured he'd look like a wuss if he chose truth again, especially after what just happened.

"I dare you to stand up." Karen said with a mischievous look on her face.

Hopper groaned in annoyance and glared at Joyce when she started laughing. "You're supposed to be on my side." He teased and pinched just above her knee, causing her to laugh harder.

"Karen, no one wants to see Jim's boner." Benny added, taking a sip of his beer.

"I'm just curious if the rumors are true." Karen said with a shrug. "Come on Jim, get up."

Benny chuckled then. "Pretty sure he's already up."

"What rumors?" Joyce asked confused as she climbed out of his lap.

Hopper adjusted himself before getting to his feet, somewhat thankful he'd changed clothes after they went swimming and wasn't still wearing his trunks.

Karen's eyes went wide at the sight of his impressive erection straining against the front of his jeans and quickly shifted her attention to Joyce. "You let him put that thing inside of you?!"

"Christ Karen!" Joyce hissed, a heat of embarrassment rushing to her ears. "Do people seriously gossip about the size of your dick?" She asked Hopper who sighed and sank back down into his chair.

"He's the most popular guy in school Joyce, of course people do. Especially after seeing him and the rest of the wrestling team in those tight ass uniforms." Karen answered for him, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.

Joyce scrunched her face at the thought of her boyfriend's dick being such a hot topic for conversation around school even though she should have expected it. If she was imagining what was hidden underneath his clothes for all these years, why would she think others wouldn't do the same?

"Alight Benny, truth or dare?" Hopper asked as he pulled Joyce back down into his lap, trying to draw the conversation away from his boner and the situation he could tell was making her uncomfortable.

"Truth." Benny slurred slightly as he took another gulp from the blue can in his hand.

"Is it true that you've had a crush on Karen since freshman year and were just too scared to tell her?"

"Well yeah, but you already knew that. You would always pick on me for wanting to go see her at the diner during summer break."

"You came to the diner all those times just to see me?" Karen questioned with a fondness in her eyes.

"Of course I did honey, I didn't put on ten pounds that summer for nothing."

"I thought it was just because you loved the peach cobbler." Karen laughed.

"I loved something there, but it wasn't the cobbler." Benny smiled and leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek before nodding his chin toward Joyce. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare." Joyce replied automatically, not wanting to be the coward of the group.

"I dare you to go into the woods by yourself and stay there until I call you back." Benny finished, an evil grin on his face.

"Absolutely not. It's different for me and you, but I don't want the girls going off by themselves." Hopper replied, his grip on Joyce's hip tightening.

"It's okay Hop, nothing is going to happen. We're the only people out here." Joyce insisted.

"That's not the point. I don't want you going alone."

"I have to pee, so I'm going either way. Might as well take the dare with me." Joyce stated as she unsteadily climbed to her feet. "I'll be back as soon as I'm called for, okay?"

Hopper nodded and reluctantly let her go, watching until she disappeared into the darkness behind the treeline.

00000

"Dude, she's going to be fine. She literally went to take a piss. You know as well as I do if something scares her, she's going to scream and you'll take off running to save the day." Benny commented as he adjusted Karen in his lap.

Hopper knew she'd barely been gone three minutes, but he was already anxious. It seemed every time she was out of his sight something bad happened.

The trio sat in silence for a few more minutes before Karen nudged Benny with her elbow. "Call her back. I don't like this."

Hopper shot Karen a grateful glance that she was the one to ask for her return.

"Alright Joyce, you can come back now!" Benny's sudden yell startled Karen, earning him yet another light slap to his arm.

"Jesus, warn me next time for fucks sake!" Karen scolded.

Hopper intently listened for the sound of movement in the woods, barely able to hide the gut feeling that something wasn't right when she hadn't returned immediately.

"Joyce come on back, this isn't funny!" Karen shouted as she threw her now empty can to the ground.

Hopper quickly got to his feet, unable to sit still any longer when she was out there alone and anything could have happened to her. He stopped by his truck to grab the flashlight he had laying in the bed near the tailgate and headed off into the woods, Benny and Karen following close behind.

"Joyce! Where are you?! Honey please answer me!" Hopper called out into the darkness ahead of them, his flashlight only doing so much.

"What was that?" Karen asked, pointing to Jim's right.

Hopper flicked his flashlight to his side, immediately illuminating Joyce's shoulders. "Joyce, what's going on? Are you okay?" He questioned, taking a hesitant step toward her. When she didn't turn at the sound of his voice, he began to panic and crossed the uneven ground in three long strides, tentatively reaching out to touch her arm.

"Hon-"

"Boo!" Joyce screamed and turned to grab Hopper's shoulders, causing him and everyone else to jump out of their skin.

"Jesus Christ Joyce! What the fuck!?" Karen screamed from Benny's side. The scowl covering her face was exactly how Hopper felt on the inside, and the fact Joyce was currently laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes wasn't helping.

"That's for dropping me in the water earlier! Man you should have seen the look on all your faces!" She continued laughing and Karen picked up a small stick, throwing it in her direction.

"That wasn't funny! You fucking scared us!" Karen yelled, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh come on guys! It was just a joke." Joyce said as she dried her eyes.

"Not cool." Benny frowned and took Karen's hand to head back to camp, giving them some privacy to speak with one another when he noticed how uneasy Jim had gotten.

"What's wrong with them?" Joyce asked with a sigh once they were alone.

When her question was met with silence, she shifted to stand in front of Hopper and looked up to finally see his face. It only took her half a second to realize he was trying his hardest to not let the emotions he was feeling show in his features.

"Oh honey." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his waist when he pulled her into his chest and nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head.

"You can't do stuff like that to me Joyce. I thought..." His voice caught in his throat and it took him a moment to continue. "I've almost lost you too many times."

"I'm sorry. I... I wasn't thinking. I was just trying to play a joke and it totally backfired."

"Promise you'll never do anything like that again. Not to me." He pleaded, lightly stroking the exposed skin at her hip with his thumb.

"I promise, Hop. Never again. What can I do to make it up to you?"

"You don't have to make it up to me, just think before you do things like this. You have no idea how scared I was when you didn't answer me."

Joyce sighed, feeling incredibly guilty. She hadn't thought of the consequences to her small joke and now she had upset Hopper, and probably Benny and Karen as well.

"Please don't be angry with me."

"Sweetheart I'm not mad at you. You gave me your word it won't happen again and I believe you." He insisted, his hold on her loosening slightly when she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to the front of his throat.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to make this better?" She asked as she kissed her way up his neck. "Since I ruined the game, I don't think Benny and Karen would care if we called it a night and finished what we started earlier." She whispered into his ear.

Hopper swallowed and curled his fingers around several strands of her hair, her breath against his skin making him shiver. "Scaring me turned you on that much?" He chuckled, feeling some of the leftover adrenaline his fear had created start to leave his system.

"I've been turned on since I felt how much you enjoyed watching me and Karen make out." She smirked and reached for his belt buckle, quickly unclasping it as she claimed his lips and carefully backed him against the nearest tree. When she popped the button on his jeans and sank to her knees in front of him, Hopper grabbed a hold of her wrist, stopping her from pulling on his zipper.

"Honey, we can't do this here. What if they come back?" He breathed, staring down at her.

Joyce grinned and wiggled her wrist free. "You'll hear them before they get too close." She insisted and only slid his jeans and boxers down far enough to gain access to him. Usually he'd be fully erect within seconds at the first hint of getting his dick sucked, but with current events, Joyce understood when he hadn't immediately gotten hard as soon as she dropped to her knees. Squeezing his thighs and placing light kisses to the skin near his hip, she thought she had gotten past the awkward phase of not knowing what to do, and found with slight embarrassment that she wasn't past it at all. He seemed bigger than the last time she had him in her mouth, and that caused uneasiness to form in her stomach as she continued to work on getting him interested in her and away from the horrible thoughts she knew were still at the forefront of his mind.

His hand finding its way into her hair was all the encouragement she needed as she carefully took the first few inches of him into her mouth and slowly sucked back up his length, accepting more with each pass until he touched the back of her throat. Needing a second to breathe, she swirled her tongue around the head of his dick and brought a hand up to wrap around the base, knowing she'd never be able to fit all of him in her mouth.

"You have no idea how good that feels." Hopper groaned and tightened his first in her hair, leaving a slight sting on her scalp that caused her to whimper around him. In no time at all she found a steady rhythm, slowly taking more of him until he unconsciously started moving his hips, chasing a high that he wasn't too far from catching. When he met the back of her throat again, she looked up at him and was startled to find him watching her.

"God you're so beautiful. I'm going to remember this moment forever." He breathed, leaning further into the tree that was supporting most of his weight when his legs started shaking.

Joyce held eye contact with him and raked her teeth across his length carefully, stroking her hand faster at the base as her fingers found their way into her panties. She wasn't at all surprised at how wet she was. What actually surprised her was, she didn't feel embarrassed that sucking him off had turned her on so much after how intimidated she still got when doing this. When she felt him suddenly pull away, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of fear, and as if reading her mind, Hopper reached out and stroked her cheek.

"You're perfect honey, I just want to touch you and I don't particularly want to get dirt all over that pretty pussy of yours." Hopper carefully tucked himself into his jeans and pulled Joyce to her feet and back toward camp.

00000

"Did he have one?" Joyce asked impatiently as Hopper opened the truck door and climbed back inside.

"Yep." He replied with a grin and pulled the condom out of his pocket to show her. Joyce smiled and took it from him as he worked on removing his boots for a second time.

The cramped space of the cab made Joyce huff as she tried to make room for the brute of a man currently over top of her struggling to remove his shirt. "Tell me again why we can't just do this in the back of the truck?"

Hopper finally got his head free and dropped his shirt to the floorboard. "Do you really want Karen and Benny to hear us?" He raised his brow in question and smirked at the grimace she made. "Exactly. Now get those sweatpants off so I can have my way with you."

Joyce giggled at the slap he landed against the side of her ass. "Yes sir."

Quicker than should be humanly possible, Joyce started tearing off her clothes, trying her best to not kick Hopper in the face as she pulled her legs free from her sweats. With her leg still in the air, he grabbed her ankle and kissed down her calf to her thigh while slowly stroking himself. Having to stop just as he was about to undress her, due to the lack of a condom, had undoubtedly killed the erection she had worked so hard for. When he had to leave the warmth of the truck and awkwardly pull Benny away from Karen while they were in the middle of a make out session, he prayed that Joyce didn't decide to take care of herself without him.

"Hop, I just want you inside me, please." Joyce begged when he attempted to go down on her. She pulled him by his hair so they were face to face and leaned forward to bring his lower lip between her teeth, biting it hard enough to make him groan. The sound sent a tingle down her spine and she arched her hips, brushing the wetness between her folds against his cock to show him she was more than ready and didn't need the foreplay.

Hopper sat back slightly, taking in the sight of her completely bare in front of him. "But you went through all the trouble to do this for me." He stated as he ran his thumb over her clit. "And I haven't even really had a chance to give it a proper look."

"Honey, I promise if you want a closer look I'll keep it this way, but I can't wait any longer. Please." The sound of her begging made his dick throb and he couldn't resist crushing his mouth to hers in a searing kiss that was sure to leave their lips swollen

Hopper quickly ripped open the condom while he continued to kiss her, his tongue sloppily moving against hers before he nipped down the length of her neck and sucked a hickey into her skin near her collarbone. Usually they were cautious and slow, Hopper always wanting to make sure he didn't do anything to hurt her, but the last few times they'd had sex, he slowly started to notice a different side of Joyce. She was becoming more aggressive and confident, which meant he didn't need to treat her like she was made of glass and that was dangerous. Joyce demanding anything, either with words or touch set his body on fire and he had a hard time telling her no. He'd break at the first sight of her blown pupils or her lust filled tone, and once that happened, it was game over.

When the condom started giving Hopper trouble after he tried to roll it down his length more than once, he finally pulled away from her to sit back on his knees. "Son of a bitch." He said in frustration, trying once again with more force to get the dreaded latex to stretch down the length of him.

Joyce leaned forward when she saw him struggling and placed a kiss on his chest. "Want me to do it?"

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Hopper handed her the condom and brushed the hair off her shoulders to allow his lips free roam of her neck. When her nimble fingers rolled the condom onto him with ease, he made a sound in the back of his throat and winced as it settled at the base of his dick.

"What's wrong?" Joyce asked, pushing on his chest to see his face when she picked up on his discomfort.

Reaching down to readjust the condom, he furrowed his brows and stared at the thing confused. "It's really tight."

Now Joyce was confused. She looked around for the condom wrapper and when she spotted it on the floor, she picked it up and examined it. "It's just a normal condom Hop, the same ones they give away in health class."

"I don't know then..." Hopper made a face as he tried to stretch out the tight ring at the bottom. "The kind we've been using haven't felt like this."

"If it's hurting you, take it off." Joyce told him sympathetically.

Hopper cupped her cheeks and gave her a kiss, moving one of his hands to rest against the side of her throat. "But I want you so bad." He pouted, determined to make this happen. Especially after he'd gone out of his way to find the condom in the first place. "It'll be fine, just lay back."

Instead of doing as he asked, she created a bit of distance between them. "It's not worth losing your dick over when it cuts off the circulation to it." She half teased as she reached down to slip it off him. The sigh he let out once the condom hit the floor of the truck, confirmed she'd made the right decision. "We'll just have to be careful."

Hopper stroked himself a few times once blood was flowing through his erection again and looked at her a little stunned when she wanted to continue. "What about-"

"Shhh." She cut him off and scooted her hips closer to him as she laid back. "If you don't get that thing inside me within the next two seconds I'm going to take care of myself without you."

God this woman was going to be the death of him. Carefully adjusting himself where his left foot was on the floor and his right knee was curled under her thigh, he grabbed the back of her knee and pulled her leg up to rest on his hip as he slowly thrust his hips forward and was engulfed by her tight warm walls. There was an immediate difference in the way she felt wrapped around him when it was direct skin to skin contact and he couldn't help but groan when he was fully sheathed inside her.

Moving to rest his forehead against hers while he waited for her to adjust to his size, he stroked her cheek with his thumb and sucked in a breath when she finally arched her back to let him know she was ready.

He thrust into her slowly at first, watching her face wrinkle each time he bottomed out until the feel of him stretching her was replaced with a look he'd never seen before. Joyce swore up and down that she enjoyed having sex even though she'd never been able to orgasm during, and while he believed her, this was the first time he could recall actually seeing raw pleasure in her features as he sank deep inside her.

"Hop…" She called to him desperately, clawing at his back as she shifted her hips to make him thrust harder. "I need more...please."

"Baby, I'm not sure I can last very long." Hopper never realized just how much the condom dulled the sensation her velvety smooth walls created and it was driving him crazy. Grabbing her hip, he lifted her slightly and started thrusting faster, grinding his pelvis against her clit with each flick of his hips.

"Right there...so close..." He felt her start to clench around him and he let go of her hip to clutch the door behind her head as he continued the fast, steady rhythm that seemed to be working her toward an orgasm. Less than a minute later her breath hitched and her hips jerked against him uncontrollably. Her eyes fell shut and a delicious moan filled the cab of the truck.

By the grace of God, Hopper somehow managed to slip out of her before he came. Not even having time to wrap his fingers around himself, he thrust against the smooth skin where her hip and leg connected and spilled his release across her stomach and onto the seat below them.

As Hopper settled his weight on his elbow to be closer to her, he almost questioned if she had actually gotten off until he felt that familiar shaking wracking through her body that indicated she did indeed have an orgasm. Placing soft kisses across her chest and shoulder, he lifted himself to brush sweaty hair from her forehead and waited for her to look at him. "I love you."

Joyce smiled at his words and let out a content sigh. "I love you too. That was unbelievable."

"That's an understatement." Hopper teased before sitting up to grab his shirt from the floorboards. "If this is the result of me not wearing a condom, I'm never buying them again."

Joyce watched as he gently wiped off her skin. "At least don't buy whatever brand those are." She said with a laugh and sat up so he could clean the seat. "Maybe the ones we have at home are bigger."

Wiping himself off last, Hopper dropped the now dirty shirt back to the floor and pulled his boxers up his legs. "Is that even a thing?"

"Geez Hop, how did you buy them and not notice they're all slightly different? I'm a girl and even I know they can come in different sizes."

"I don't know!" He exclaimed, tossing her panties onto her lap. "I just got the same brand dad gave me."

"Well that answers your question then. They're obviously bigger." Joyce said as she slipped her panties over her hips and grabbed her sweatpants.

"How did you come to that conclu- oh, ew Joyce!" Hopper made a disgusted face and quickly slid his jeans on.

"I mean he's not exactly a small man Hop, and those genes obviously got passed d-"

"Stop talking!" He hissed, rubbing his hands over his face. "We're not having this conversation...ever."

Joyce rolled her eyes. "You're the one who had to take it to a weird place." She grumbled, before finally getting her pants on over her hips. "Mom even said those were the same kind they used, I was just stating a fac-"

"For the love of God Joyce, please stop. I don't want to talk about my parents sex life or anything to do with them right now. What are you trying to do, scare me from wanting to use condoms ever again? I don't think my parents would be too thrilled at getting promoted to grandparents before we go to college."

"Well at least we know one thing for sure." Joyce giggled, pulling her shirt over her head, not even worrying with a bra.

"What's that?" He asked, leaning back.

"Your dick is bigger than Benny's."

"Well hell, I could have told you that, literally and metaphorically." Joyce loved it when he got cocky and couldn't help but laugh.

When they were both finally dressed enough to cover anything important, Joyce scooted across the cab and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love you so much. Promise you'll never leave me?"

"I promise Joy, nothing will ever take me from you. The world can try, but you have me forever."

Knowing he always kept his word, Joyce relaxed even further into his side, his arm coming around to rest on her shoulders.

"Are you ready to lay down?" She asked with a content sigh.

"Let's give Benny and Karen a few more minutes, they didn't have an early start like we did." He smirked and kissed the top of her head.

One thing was for sure, Joyce was really enjoying her first camping trip and a small part of her never wanted to leave the rocky confines of the quarry.


	29. Chapter 29

Within the blink of an eye, the wonderful two days spent at the quarry were suddenly nothing more than a memory as Joyce and Hopper readjusted to waking up early Monday for school. From the looks of everyone else that morning, they weren't the only ones dreading the return of socializing and learning.

As students filled the halls to switch classes after third period, Joyce slowly made her way to the stairwell, hoping to find her old spot beside the stairs empty so she could go through all of her recent photos to finish the last remaining pages of the yearbook.

The room they normally used was currently occupied by the drama club as they rehearsed scenes for an upcoming play, and the cafeteria was way too loud this time of day for her to be able to concentrate on anything. Had the weather not been poor with rain, she would have gladly chosen to sit under the bleachers where she could enjoy a smoke and some peace and quiet until Hopper found her for lunch.

Thankfully the spot was empty and she tossed her bag to the floor, plopping down to lean against the cold bricks with a sigh. She quickly settled her folder full of photos into her lap and scooted far enough back under part of the stairs to not get stepped on as people continued to walk by. As soon as the halls fell silent, she set to work on organizing the sports section near the back of the yearbook.

Forty five minutes, countless paper clips and discarded photos later, Joyce was putting the final touches on the layouts for five different pages just as the bell rang signally the end of class. Carefully moving the unused photos back into the folder and into her bag, she quickly switched around two quotes on the page in front of her and took a second to lean back, making sure everything was in order. For the first time in months she was ahead on all of her work and completing this gave her the break she needed to start filling out college applications.

"Your guard dog finally get tired of you trash princess?" A familiar voice asked from Joyce's right, causing her to look up from where she was still sitting on the floor. She was instantly met with the sight of Marissa and Chrissy walking by to ascend the stairs, a look of disgust on both of their faces. Choosing to ignore them, she started stacking her layouts and reached for her bag just as something cold and wet crashed into the side of her face. Orange liquid rushed down her back, the front of her shirt and splashed all over the wall, the floor, and of course her school work.

Letting out a startled gasp, Joyce quickly jumped to her feet, the paper cup once filled with soda rolling away as laughter from the two bitches standing on the stairs echoed around her. Several students passing by paused to take in the scene, whispers quickly spreading like wildfire throughout the hallway.

"Just because you bought new clothes and have new friends doesn't mean we've forgotten who you really are, you're still a loser." Chrissy said with a smirk, popping her gum before turning and walking up the stairs and out of sight.

Joyce swiped her now wet hair out of her face, taking in several deep breaths to keep herself calm as she shook off her soda covered hands and knelt down to try and salvage any of the papers still on the floor. It was pointless. The liquid had already warped the images and stained the white layout they were clipped to. Her pen marks were running, making everything unreadable as the paper turned see through with a hint of orange. Her clothes were wet and cold, her skin was sticky, and everything inside of her was screaming for her to run after Chrissy and beat the shit out of her like she'd done before. Had she not feared getting expelled and ruining her chances at getting into a good college, she would have gone after her the second that dumb ass smirk had appeared on her face.

"Joyce?"

A hand entering her vision caused Joyce to lift her eyes just as Lonnie crouched down in front of her, carefully removing the photo from her shaking hand.

"Are you okay? What happened?" He asked, his voice full of worry.

Joyce let him take the photo and flexed her fingers, sucking in a deep breath. There were too many emotions suddenly coursing through her and she had to fight back the urge to cry. The anger she was feeling toward Chrissy and the fact all of her work was ruined made her gut twist with anxiety.

"Fucking Chrissy!" She hissed and stood, kicking her soaked layouts into the wall. "I can't wait to get out of this school and away from all this bullshit."

Lonnie cringed as the soggy papers flopped around into a crumpled mess. "Joyce…" He started, taking a step closer to touch her shoulder, making her look at him. "It'll be alright, I'll help you fix all of this if you want. I have a free period after lunch and with the two of us we'll get it knocked out in no time."

Bringing her eyes to meet his, Joyce let out a huff and wrapped her hand around his wrist, squeezing it gently before she moved to start picking up her things. "I appreciate the offer, but I have to redevelop all the photos and basically redo a week's worth of work. Plus that's not fair to you. I'm sure you have better things you could be doing."

"Like what? Sitting in the library studying alone? I really don't mind." He said with a smile, helping her ball up the wet papers to toss into the trash can a few feet away. He grabbed her bag last and flung it over his shoulder as she wiped her hands on the thighs of her soaked jeans. "Come on, I'll wait outside the bathroom while you get cleaned up." He offered, gesturing with his head for her to lead the way.

"Thanks." She whispered and looked up and down the still crowded halls before walking in the direction of the closest bathroom.

Lonnie gently stopped her as she reached for the handle on the door and set her bag by his feet, his hands coming up to unbutton the flannel he was wearing. "Not that I was staring, but you might want to change out of your shirt, or at least put this on over it. The orange stains aren't doing much to hide the black bra you're wearing." He admitted as he held out his flannel for her to take.

Joyce finally looked down at her clothes and started blushing. True to his words you could see right through the already thin material, leaving nothing at all to the imagination. Quickly taking the flannel from his hand, she clutched it close to her chest and looked around once more to make sure no one else had noticed the predicament she was in. "You're a life saver." She said before rushing into the bathroom to try and keep what little dignity she still had intact.

Thankfully the bathroom was empty, giving her plenty of space to lay Lonnie's flannel on the counter as she attempted to rinse the soda out of her hair in the sink. With a little bit of soap, the sticky strands started to come apart and soon any evidence of the orange drink disappeared down the drain. Wringing out the excess water from her hair, she reached into her pocket for a scrunchie and pulled her hair back into a high bun to keep anything from dripping onto her shoulders.

Next she scrubbed away the orange stains from her arms and dabbed fistfuls of paper towels against her damp jeans to hopefully soak up some of the moisture. When she realized there wasn't any way to save her shirt, a twinge of anger suddenly rose in her chest, causing the skin on her neck to burn. It was one of the shirts Hopper had picked out for her, and one of her favorites which only made the entire situation more frustrating. With a growl, she ripped the material over her head and slammed into the trash with more force than necessary, knowing that even Mary wouldn't be able to work her magic this time.

Once Lonnie's flannel was over her shoulders and buttoned with the sleeves rolled up her arms, she took a second to look in the mirror to make sure she wasn't a complete disaster. A small red mark across her cheek bone where the cup had come into contact with her face caught her attention and she let out an irritated groan. Leaning forward to lightly press her fingertips to the sensitive skin, she winced when the slight pressure started to hurt, a sure sign a bruise would more than likely appear over the next few days.

"Great." She huffed and moved away from the counter, not wanting to give herself a chance to find even more reasons to be upset.

"Want me to walk you to class?" Lonnie asked when she reappeared from the bathroom, still standing right where she'd left him.

Joyce shook her head and took her book bag from him. "You've already done enough, I don't need to make you late on top of everything."

Lonnie shrugged and leaned against the wall. "That's what friends are for. I just want to make sure you're alright."

Joyce smiled and pulled him into a quick hug, her arms wrapping around his neck. "Believe me, this is nothing. I'll be fine." Stepping back and readjusting the strap on her shoulder, she grabbed at the collar of his shirt she was wearing. "Thanks again for helping me. I'll give this back to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Don't worry about it, I have plenty of them just like it at home." He said with a grin and started walking with her, making small talk until they needed to go their separate ways.

00000

Somehow Joyce managed to make it to the cafeteria just as Benny and Karen were taking a seat at their usual table, Hopper sliding in beside her the second she pulled her lunch from her bag and spread it out in front of them.

"Hey honey." Hopper greeted with a smile, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to kiss her cheek, his mouth lingering to nip at her exposed neck. When the scent of something masculine and unfamiliar hit his nose he pulled back with his brows furrowed, finally noticing the flannel she's wearing. "Who's shirt is this?"

Joyce shoved a chip into her mouth and picked at the crust on her sandwich. "Lonnie's..." She mumbled.

"Lonnie?!" Hopper almost shouted, the admission making him clench his fist under the table. "Why the hell are you wearing Lonnie's shirt?"

Benny and Karen both looked up from their food, neither of them knowing what to say as they watched the vein in Hopper's neck start throbbing.

Joyce bit her lip and flicked her eyes in Hopper's direction, her hand coming up to pull on the collar of the flannel. "It's not what you think."

"Then explain it to me, because there's a lot of shit going through my head right now that's about to piss me off." Hopper stated, trying his best to keep the anger he was feeling out of his voice.

"I…" Joyce stuttered, the tension surrounding them making her nervous. "I spilled something on my clothes so he gave me his shirt to wear since I didn't have anything to change into."

Hopper immediately picked up on her hesitation and shifted in his seat. "Why are you lying to-"

"Joyce, what happened to your face?" Karen gasped, interrupting their conversation to reach across the table for Joyce's cheek. The movement caused her to flinch, her own hand coming up to cover the red mark.

"Did that son of a bitch touch you?" Hopper asked, his fingers wrapping around her wrist gently to pull her hand away.

"No." Joyce hissed, jerking her arm from his grip. "Chrissy-"

"Chrissy?!" It was Karen who shouted this time, her hands already on the edge of the table to stand.

"Would everyone just calm down for a second? Christ." Joyce sighed, dropping her head into her hands to catch her breath.

"I thought I made myself pretty clear when I told that whore to leave you alone the first time." Karen said, relaxing slightly when Benny placed his hand on her shoulder to keep her seated.

"It's not a big deal alright? It was just a drink." Joyce really didn't want anyone getting into another fight because of her.

"How exactly did this drink turn into you having a bruise on your face?" Hopper asked, his jaw flexing.

Joyce sighed, knowing none of them were going to let her eat her lunch in peace unless she started talking. Taking a second to finish chewing, she set her sandwich down and wiped her hands off on her jeans.

"I was working on my final layouts for the yearbook under the stairs near the AV room and Marissa and Chrissy happened to walk by. They made a smart ass comment about me being alone and I guess since I ignored them, that pissed them off and the next thing I know a cup is hitting me in the face and I'm getting covered in freezing orange soda. Lonnie saw what happened and gave me his flannel so the whole school wouldn't know what color bra I was wearing." Joyce whispered, not wanting the rest of the cafeteria to hear their conversation.

Hopper scooted closer to her and touched the side of her jaw once more to inspect the mark on her face. "Guess I should thank Lonnie the next time I see him." He sighed and kissed her forehead.

"I just don't understand why they can't leave me alone. I haven't said a single word to either of them." Joyce frowned, the feeling of her still wet jeans chafing against her thighs only making the situation worse.

"Because they're both miserable bitches for one." Karen piped up as she ran her spoon around the edge of the stew she had chosen for lunch today. "Not to mention they both want what you have and it's eating them alive to know they'll never get it."

"You're damn right they never will." Hopper growled.

"How can they hate me so much when I've literally done nothing to them?"

"Well, not completely nothing. You did beat the shit out of Chrissy." Benny commented as he opened a pack of crackers for Karen who was currently scowling at him.

"That wasn't Joyce starting anything, it was self defense, and Joyce isn't the only girl in this school who's had a run in with those two twats. They think just because their families have a little money that their shit doesn't stink and I for one am tired of it." Karen was on her feet before Benny could stop her.

"Karen, it's not worth it." Joyce called from her seat as she nervously watched her best female friend walk across the cafeteria, a glint of murder in her eyes.

"Well, this should be interesting." Benny sighed, knowing there wasn't anything any of them could do now.

00000

"I thought I told you bitches to back off." Karen thundered as she approached the crowded table where Chrissy and Marissa were both sitting, surrounded by the rest of the cheer leading squad and their fuck buddies for the week.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." Chrissy stated sweetly as she took a sip of the orange soda in front of her. "Marissa?"

"Hmm, nope can't recall anything." Marissa giggled, her hand moving to touch her boyfriend of six months, Zack Finnigan's hand.

Before anyone could process what was going on Karen picked up Chrissy soda and dumped the contents over her head, covering her pristine cheerleader uniform in sugary orange liquid. The collective gasp from their table was heard through the cafeteria, silencing the room immediately.

"You fucking bitch!" Chrissy exclaimed, attempting to rise to her feet.

"Not much fun when you're the one who's being bullied is it Chrissy? I told you two to leave Joyce alone. I'm done playing your little games."

"You just messed with the wrong girl!" Chrissy growled, moving to take a step toward Karen.

"Oh, I don't think I did. It's funny the things you hear when your parents talk after dinner. I had no idea that your father was so far into the red at the derbies that the Matheson brothers are going to break his legs. It's a shame really, the supposed wealthiest family in Hawkins is dirt poor."

"You shut your mouth, you-"

"Ladies do we have a problem here?" Principal Shepherd's voice came from behind them and Karen was the first to speak.

"No sir, not at all. In fact we were just discussing how dangerous and un-lady like it is for Marissa to be giving blow jobs to freshmen in the parking lot before school."

"You're doing what!?" Zack yelled from Marissa's side as he jerked his hand away. Marissa's eyes were as big as saucers as she fumbled to once again hold his hand.

"It's not what you think babe, I haven't done it in-"

"This is a conversation that needs to be held in my office." Principal Shepherd said above the cries of both Chrissy and Marissa. "You three, my office now!" He snapped, not breaking eye contact with the teens in front of him.

Karen looked across the cafeteria and gave her friends a grin, motioning for Benny to take her backpack as she quickly fell in step behind the principal and giggled at the trail of orange following in Chrissy's wake.

00000

When the final bell rang signaling the end of the day, Benny, Joyce and Hopper made their way out to the parking lot where they found Karen sitting on Benny's tailgate waiting for them. Joyce ran ahead of the boys and pulled her into her arms.

"Can't breathe…" Karen gasped, surprised at the strength the tiny woman had.

"Please tell me you didn't get suspended?" Joyce asked, already feeling guilty as she loosened the death grip on her friend.

Karen snorted and slid over some when Joyce hopped up onto the tailgate and Benny moved to stand between her legs. "Once the Chief showed up to talk to Marissa and her parents I think Principal Shepard forgot I was even there. She's in a shitload of trouble."

"They called my dad?" Hopper asked and wrapped his arm around Joyce when she leaned against him.

"Apparently one of the boys she messed with at the beginning of the year is only fourteen, and if his parents want to press charges it could be a lot worse than her being expelled. Speaking of your dad." Karen said with a nod as the Chief's blazer rolled to a stop beside them.

Greg cut the engine and made his way over to where the small group was gathered at the back of Benny's truck, a hand resting on his hip. "Joyce, I need you to come with me Darlin'."

Joyce frowned at being pulled away from her friends, but sat up and removed Hopper's arms from around her to do as she was told.

"What's going on?" Hopper asked, reluctantly letting her go when she jumped down to the asphalt and went to his father's side.

"Nothing you need to worry about son. We'll see you at home." Greg placed a hand on Joyce's shoulder and guided her over to the blazer, stopping just as he went to open the door when he noticed the red mark on her cheek. Carefully touching under her chin with his finger, he tilted her head to get a better look at the damage and Hopper didn't miss hearing him mutter something under his breath before letting Joyce go to climb inside the cab.

"He's not upset with her because of what I did is he?" Karen asked as they watched the blazer disappear out of the parking lot.

Hopper shoved his hand into his pocket to retrieve his pack of cigarettes and shrugged. "Him and mom are a little overprotective with her after everything she's been through. I figure he just wants to make sure she's alright." Placing the stick in his mouth, he flicked his lighter and sucked in a deep lungful of smoke, hoping the nicotine would ease some of the stress he was feeling.

"Was it really that bad before?" Karen knew Joyce didn't talk about her past, and that Jim more than likely wouldn't say too much on the subject, but she couldn't help but worry.

Hopper exhaled and leaned his elbows against the side of Benny's truck. "Yeah it was bad, she almost died..."

Karen felt Benny tense between her legs and looked up to see him staring at Jim, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

"Is that why she missed so much school after the fight with Chrissy?" Karen asked, squeezing Benny's hand that was resting on her thigh when she noticed how uneasy he had gotten.

Hopper nodded and took another drag from his unfiltered camel. "Everyone just assumed she had been expelled, or got sent away for losing her shit, but no one knew the truth. No one knew that her piece of shit father beat her so bad that day she almost died in my arms on my front porch."

"Fuck Jim...I'm so sorry." Benny said, taking a step back from Karen to run a hand through his hair. "Why would she...how can she stand to be around me after…" He paused, having to swallow down the lump of guilt in his throat.

Karen silently stared at Benny when he pulled away from her, trying to gauge his sudden change in behavior. His history of bullying Joyce hadn't been a secret, she'd even witnessed him apologize to her about it in person, but the way he was acting had her wondering if she was missing something.

Hopper sighed and flicked his cigarette to the ground, stubbing out the butt under his boot. "Because that's just who she is, Benny. Even after all the bullshit she's been through, she still tries to see the good in people. It's one of the many things I love about her." Reaching over the side of the truck to grab his bag out of the bed, he adjusted the strap over his shoulder and dug his keys out of his pocket. "Just do me a favor alright? Don't start acting weird around her now that you know this. Nothing has changed. She's still the same person she was fifteen minutes ago."

00000

Heading down the road, Greg adjusted in his seat, one hand on the wheel, the other fidgeting with the stubble on his chin. "Honey, can you tell me what happened today?" He questioned, not wanting to beat around the bush.

Letting out a quick sigh, Joyce told him everything about the stairwell, Lonnie, and what transpired in the cafeteria. "Karen told them when they cornered me in the locker room that she wasn't going to stand for them bullying me anymore and that if she heard or saw them doing it, they were going to regret it."

"Wait. They cornered you in the locker room? When?"

Joyce pulled her knees to her chest, her feet resting on the seat with her arms wrapped around her shins. "Not long after I came back to school. Chrissy and Marissa were messing with me in gym class and when I tried to get away from them, they followed me into the locker room. I started to panic and couldn't get my shirt on, they saw my scars and started accusing Jim of beating on me…Eventually they figured out what really happened and that's when Karen told them to leave me alone."

Greg frowned and took his eyes off the road briefly to look in her direction, watching as she dropped her chin to rest on her knees. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

Joyce shrugged. "What difference would it have made? The only time in the last six years someone noticed me was when I finally lost it and beat up Chrissy. No one cared when I was getting tripped in the hallways and pushed around. Or when everyone was calling me trash and acting like I was a walking disease. I figured since I've dealt with it this long, why not a few more months?"

School definitely hadn't been easy for Joyce and Greg knew this, Jim had told him more than once about kids picking on her, he just hadn't been aware of how bad it was or the fact it had been going on for this long without a teacher or someone making an effort to stop it. "I understand why you felt like you couldn't go to anyone at school for help, but I wish you had come to me. I could have taken care of this a long time ago, and after everything you've been through with Travis...Honey I'm so sorry. No one deserves to be treated that way." Flipping on his turn signal, Greg gently hit the brakes and turned onto the gravel driveway leading to the farm. "I promise you those girls aren't going to get away with what they've done to you. Not this time."

Joyce lifted her head to stare out the window, her arms still wrapped securely around her legs. "I just can't help but wonder...What if they were lashing out at me because things weren't going so well for them at home? Karen said something about her dad having to loan money to Chrissy's because of the derbies. She may be suffering too and bullying me might be her only escape."

"That still didn't make it right Joyce. No matter what someone else is going through, that doesn't give them the right to take it out on others." Greg slowly came to a stop in front of the house and leaned back in his seat. "I don't know what's going to happen to Marissa or Chrissy, but whatever comes of it, just know none of it is your fault okay?"

Joyce stayed quiet and picked at her shoe string, trying to shake the feeling that she was still somehow responsible for Karen's actions and everything that had happened today.

"Now, I have to head back into town, we have a meeting about paving some of the back roads to make it easier on farmers. Can you tell your mama that I'm ready to go whenever she is?"

Finally lowering her feet to the floor, Joyce hesitated when she reached for the door handle. Before she could change her mind, she leaned across the seat and wrapped her arms around Greg's neck.

"Thank you." She whispered, knowing she wouldn't be able to say the words any louder without crying. Greg gingerly brought a hand to her shoulder, hugging her back the best he could.

"Of course Darlin'. Just promise me something alright? If anyone ever puts their hands on you again, you let me know. I mean it. I don't care why it happened or who did it, you come to me first. I'm sick and tired of seeing you get hurt."

Joyce gave him a nod and swallowed, forcing back the emotions currently making her chest ache. "I promise."

00000

The smell of Hopper's soap quickly filled the bathroom as Joyce scrubbed her still sticky skin almost raw, trying her best to ignore the slight orange tint circling the drain at her feet. She was going to have a hard time getting all the tiny sugar covered knots out of her hair that she'd missed removing at school, and just the thought of spending more than a few pain filled minutes working at them made her groan in irritation.

"What are you doing in there young lady?" A deep familiar baritone suddenly called out, causing her to startle.

"Jesus Christ Hop!" She screeched as the shower curtain pulled back, revealing a bare chest staring back at her.

"Oh come on, I'm not that bad looking." Hopper teased and reached out to test the temperature of the water. "Mind if I join you?"

"Depends. Are you going to scare me again?" She challenged, still trying to calm her racing heart.

"I promise nothing." He grinned and stepped over the edge of the tub, immediately adjusting the height of the shower head.

"I said you could join me, I didn't say you could steal all of my water!"

"Oh hush, you know as well as I do that you're still getting plenty on you. Besides, I figure this way if you get cold you'll more than likely snuggle up to me."

"Who says I want to snuggle up to you?"

"Well if you don't want me in here..." Hopper turned to leave, feeling her small hand attempt to grab onto his upper arm.

"Okay! Okay! I'm kidding, don't leave!" She pleaded, quickly pulling the curtain from his grip to close it back.

Hopper chuckled when she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against him. "Just can't get enough of me can you?"

"Nope, and I never will."

"Good, because you're stuck with me." He grinned and shut his eyes, letting the warmth of the water ease some of the tension in his shoulders.

Joyce smiled and kissed the middle of his chest, knowing they couldn't stand there much longer or the water would get cold before they could finish. Reluctantly letting him go, she shifted to rinse the remaining soap from her body and carefully stepped out onto the bath mat to dry off while Hopper shampooed his hair.

Reaching for the closest towel on the rack, Joyce wrapped the fluffy material around her body and padded over to the sink, wiping the fog from the mirror just as Hopper came up behind her. His lips found their way to the crook of her neck, sucking gently at the sensitive skin.

"Here, let me do it." He murmured, sliding a hand down her arm to wrap his fingers around the handle of her brush. Joyce let it go without a fight and shut her eyes as he began to rid her hair of the small knots he knew she was dreading dealing with.

"You don't know how good that feels." She hummed, enjoying the way his fingers were messaging against her scalp.

"You keep moaning like that and it's going to make a part of me feel good too." He joked, carefully working a knot out of her hair.

"Oh really?" She whispered, opening her eyes to catch his in the reflection of the mirror staring back at her.

"Mmm." Hopper grabbed onto her waist and pulled her flush against him, her ass settling directly into the front of his hips.

Joyce shut her eyes and whined when his mouth claimed the skin at her shoulder, his teeth nipping delicately up to her ear before turning her body to face him, his thumb gently running across the scratch on her cheek. He placed a sweet kiss where his thumb had just been, then kissed his way down her jaw, eventually sliding his tongue over the plump flesh of her lips.

"I want you." Joyce moaned, bringing an arm up behind him to thread her fingers into his hair.

The admission made Hopper tremble, a growl rumbling low in his throat. His parents would be gone for another hour at least and their time alone in the house was so rare he wasn't about to let the opportunity go to waste. His excitement at them being as loud as they wanted made his ever-growing erection twitch against her.

"Please Jim, after the day I've had... I just need you." Joyce whispered, bringing her lips to meet his. What Hopper thought was going to be a kiss, was actually her sucking on his bottom lip and he hadn't realized he had closed his eyes until he felt her hand on his chest gently pushing him away. He watched in awe as the towel that had been snugly wrapped around her tiny frame fell to the floor at her feet, leaving him with a view of her naked ass disappearing out the door and down the hallway.

"You coming?" She called over her shoulder.

00000

When Hopper entered the bedroom, Joyce was standing at her side of the bed with her back to him, her damp hair falling down across the pale skin of her shoulders, giving him a perfect view of her backside. Quickly shutting the door behind him, Hopper wasted no time in going to her, his fingers digging into her left hip as his right hand slid around her body and between her legs. The feel of her wet and needy had him biting back a moan.

"Christ baby." He breathed into her ear, making her shake. "Lay down, I want to taste you."

A shiver ran through her at his words, and as badly as she wanted to feel his mouth against her aching clit, she shook her head. Instead of replying with words, she took a hold of his hand and moved it up to cup her breast, showing him what she wanted. Hopper none to gently rolled her nipple between his thumb and pointer finger while she shifted her hips back against him, the friction making him groan. Seconds later, Joyce pulled him away from her and crawled onto the bed, her stomach resting on the cool fabric of their blanket with her ass in the air.

Hopper's eyes went wide at her gesture and he had to bite his lip to keep from embarrassing himself with a pathetic whine when he settled over top of her. One of his hands was threaded with hers, flat against the bed near her pillow and the other was grasping her hip. His erection lay on her inner thigh, only inches away from the wetness he could see between her legs reflecting with the sunlight coming through the window.

"Please…" Joyce whimpered and lifted her ass.

Hopper swallowed and carefully untangled his fingers from hers. His hand moved to grip his cock and gently rubbed the tip through her folds, coating himself with her arousal. Joyce pushed herself up on her hands, looking over her shoulder and Hopper could barely contain himself at the sight of her blown pupils.

"Hop I'm begging you. Please, I just need-"

Before she had a chance to finish her sentence, both of his hands were on her hips, pulling her completely against him. She sighed when he didn't immediately fill her. His dick only sliding through her folds once more.

"Patience baby." Hopper ordered, his nails digging into her skin to keep her from moving when he leaned over and opened the bedside drawer to retrieve a condom. "You're so fucking sexy." He said before tearing open the foil packet and dipping his head to kiss the middle of her back.

Joyce made a sound in her throat and dropped to her elbows when she felt him move away from her to slip on the condom. The absence of his touch had her reaching out to rub her fingers against her clit, trying to ease the tension in her belly at being so aroused.

Hopper swatted her hand away when the rubber ring settled at the base of his cock and positioned himself at her entrance. They had never done it this way before and the urge to sink inside of her with one swift flick of his hips was overwhelming. He sucked in a deep breath to calm down his excitement and slowly pressed into her, listening when her breath hitched as she adjusted to the slightly painful stretch.

When he finally bottomed out, Joyce dropped her upper half to the bed and let out a sound that made his toes curl. His hand rubbed between her shoulder blades and down her back, giving her a second to catch her breath before moving again. Two thrust later and Hopper was halted again when she cried out in a way that had him thinking he'd hurt her.

"Are you ok?" He asked in a hasty whisper. His instincts telling him to pull out and make her look at him, but he was worried that even breathing wrong would somehow make it worse if she actually was in pain.

Joyce reached to touch his thigh when he stilled, her nails biting into his skin as she turned to him with a flushed expression, her eyes hooded and glazed over. "Don't stop." She demanded, her voice thick with desire.

Hopper furrowed his brows in confusion and placed his hand on her shoulder, keeping eye contact as he pulled back and sank into her again slowly. He watched as pleasure crept into her features and her mouth fell open in a silent gasp.

"More." Joyce whimpered, the plea causing him to whine in response. Once he knew he wasn't actually hurting her, he set a steady pace that had them both rapidly reaching the point of no return.

Joyce found herself struggling to form a coherent thought. The new position making her feel things she couldn't explain. It was like every time Hopper bottomed out she'd get a brief second of pleasure that resembled an orgasm and her body didn't know how to react when she never actually slipped over the edge. She wanted to scream, to cry, to do anything to prolong what she was feeling, but all she managed to do was flail around helplessly while Hopper held onto her and she babbled into the pillow.

"Oh God Hop." She cried, her lip finding its way between her teeth. "Baby please..." She begged even though she didn't really know what she was begging for. Tears pricked at her eyes when she felt him thrust harder, his hand snaking around her hips to find her swollen clit as he continued to pound into her, his own breathing becoming labored with the effort.

Moments later Joyce tensed and practically screamed into her pillow as wave after wave of pleasure rocked through her. She felt Hopper sink his teeth into the muscle of her shoulder and she hissed, the sting intensifying her orgasm and making her entire body tremble.

When Joyce's inner walls tightened and started pulsing around him, Hopper growled against her skin and came hard, his hips jerking erratically with the force of his release to the point he almost lost his balance and had to catch himself on the headboard. Letting out a sigh when he stilled, he placed a soft kiss to the angry red mark he'd left on her shoulder and slowly slid out of her.

"I love you." He murmured, dropping his forehead to the back of her neck. "I love you so fucking much it hurts to breathe sometimes Joy. You complete me in every way imaginable."

A sob suddenly wracked through Joyce's body and Hopper tensed, shifting to lay on the bed beside her. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?" He asked when she looked at him and saw tears sliding down her cheeks.

Joyce just sniffed and shook her head, wiping her hands across her eyes to dry them. She didn't know how to explain with words exactly what she was feeling. It was like her body wasn't capable of processing the pleasure it had experienced and the only outlet it could find was through crying. "I'm fine. It was just really good." She choked out with the hint of a laugh.

Hopper couldn't help but chuckle at her mixed emotions and quickly stood to slip off the condom, tossing it into the small trash can by their bed before returning and pulling her against him. Lifting his hand, he lightly brushed a few damp strands of hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. It still amazed him every day that this amazing woman was his, that she had fought all of these years to finally have the life she always deserved, and he'd be forever grateful that she had chosen him to share that life with.

00000

The sun was starting to set over the farm, casting a warm orange glow onto the front porch where Hopper and Joyce were currently sitting in the swing. Hopper's long legs and bare feet moved them back and forth with ease, something Joyce was thankful for since the tips of her toes could barely reach the floor.

"Do you think mom and dad will be home soon? Or should we cook something for dinner?" Joyce questioned, her head leaning against his shoulder.

"Nah, they'll more than likely pick something up on the way home. It's already almost eight." He said as he glanced at the watch on his wrist.

"Speak of the devils." Joyce laughed at the sight of Greg's blazer making its way up the driveway and pulling into his designated spot to the right of the house. Greg hopped down to the ground after putting the blazer in park and walked around to the passenger side to open the door for Mary. Even after all of their years of marriage, the small act still caused her to smile at him fondly.

"Hey kiddos! We brought dinner!" Mary called from across the yard, her arms loaded down with familiar take out trays and what appeared to be that day's mail. Joyce gave Hopper's hand a slight squeeze before she slid down from the swing and hurried to help with whatever she could. Hopper stood and held the door open, following his family inside, the smell of fried chicken making his mouth water.

Greg stopped at the counter to sort through the mail as Joyce and Mary set the table, the kitchen feeling slightly crowded with everyone moving around trying to get settled.

"Jim, you got a letter here son." Greg stated, handing him the envelope in passing when he moved to take his seat beside Mary.

"Probably just from one of the colleges I wanted information on saying they can't accept me for whatever reason." Hopper joked and reached into his pocket for his knife. Flicking the small blade open, he easily cut along the seal of the starch white envelope before closing it back and returning it to his jeans.

"You can read that after dinner, let's eat." Mary commented, already putting food on her plate before passing the container onto Joyce. Hopper didn't say anything back to his mother. In fact, he acted as if he hadn't heard a word she said. When Joyce attempted to hand him the mashed potatoes after he finally joined them, he still never took his eyes off the paper firmly grasped between his fingers.

"Jim, what's wrong?" Greg asked when he looked up from his meal and saw all the color had drained from his son's face.

With a shaky intake of breath, Hopper held out his hand and dropped the letter onto the table.

Joyce leaned forward and felt her gut drop when she managed to catch sight of the first two lines on the paper before Greg moved it away. She didn't have to finish reading it to know what '**Selective Service System. Order To Report For Induction.**' meant.


	30. Chapter 30

It was as if every bit of oxygen had been sucked from the small room when silence overtook the kitchen. No one knew what to say or do as they stared at Greg who was still holding the letter from Washington in his shaking hand. It wasn't until the screech of wood on linoleum sounded that all eyes turned to see Hopper's back disappearing through the archway. The front door opened and slammed shut seconds later causing Joyce to flinch.

When she shifted to stand, Mary reached out to touch her shoulder, keeping her seated. "Give him a minute." She said, her voice slightly hoarse from forcing herself to keep it together.

Joyce swallowed and hung her head, her appetite completely gone. The thought of Hopper being ripped from her life and shipped off to war made her want to throw up. Her hand immediately found its way to the collar of her shirt when she felt like she was suffocating, a failed attempt at calming her building anxiety.

With a sigh, Greg finally tossed the paper back onto the table and dropped his face into the palms of his hands. When the sound of heavy breathing caught his attention minutes later, he lifted his head to look over at Joyce who was trying her damnedest to not break down in front of them. Mary hadn't been wrong in asking her to give Jim a moment to himself, but it wasn't worth having her slip into a panic attack when he knew his son needed her more than anything right then.

"Joyce, Darlin' go on." Greg's whispered words were barely out of his mouth before Joyce shot up from her chair, desperate to find the love of her life. She flung the screen door open with more force than necessary, and there in front of her on the front steps was his hunched over form. Head in his hands, uneven breaths wracking his body. She knew what it was like to be overwhelmed and could only imagine what horrible things were running through his head.

Carefully walking the short distance across the porch, the sight of his trembling shoulders nearly broke her as she whispered his name, not wanting to startle him. Without hesitation, his arms reached out to grab her and pull her into his lap, her head instinctively moving to settle under his chin.

Hopper had always been her protector, a shoulder to cry on, and now it was her turn to bear the load of fear and grief. She refused to cry, knowing if this was like any other situation they had found themselves in, her pain would only bleed over to him.

Gently rubbing soothing circles onto any part of him she could reach, Joyce hoped the small gesture would bring him some sort of comfort when there was literally nothing else she could do to make this shit situation better.

Darkness had fallen over the farm before Hopper finally loosened his grip on her. With a groan, he stretched his legs out in front of him, keeping her securely placed on his thighs. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."

At first Joyce thought she had imagined the rumble in his chest and It wasn't until he repeated those four words that she realized they hadn't been in her head. Shifting slightly to run her fingers over the five o clock shadow on his cheeks, she stared into his eyes with confusion.

"What on earth are you apologizing for?" She inquired as she placed her feet onto the step below them for support.

"I promised I would never leave you and now I'm-"

"Honey no, this has nothing to do with you. You haven't broken your promise."

Joyce watched his Adam's apple bob as he fought to not show the emotions she knew he was feeling.

"We'll figure this out together okay? There has to be something we can do to keep you here. Maybe your dad can call in all his favors, or...I don't know…just something." Tears were threatening to overcome Joyce as she saw fear and pain flicker in his gaze.

Before he could bring himself to say anything else, Joyce took his hand in hers and quickly wound their fingers together, Hopper not realizing at first just how much strength this tiny woman was giving him.

"We just need to try and rest. Tomorrow is going to suck enough as it is, and I doubt either of us want to deal with this mess on top of exhaustion." Joyce coaxed, not wanting to remove herself from his embrace, but knew they couldn't stay out there forever.

A few minutes later, Hopper nodded his head and allowed Joyce to stand from his lap, his hand quickly finding hers once more as they headed back inside.

The couple entered the house and quietly made their way down the hall leading to the kitchen. From their seats at the table, Mary and Greg looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw them huddled together in the door frame. Dinner was still on the table, cold and forgotten, and Mary's eyes were rimmed with red, while Greg's knuckles were white from being clutched together for god knows how long.

"Jim I-" Mary started and was silenced with him raising the palm of his hand.

"Tomorrow mom, tonight…I just...I can't."

Joyce watched as Mary and Greg nodded, both of them clearly hearing the exhaustion in their son's voice.

"We love you both so very much. Please try to get some sleep." Mary called as the two teens slowly moved from the doorway.

"Love you too. Goodnight"

The climb up the stairs seemed to take whatever energy the kids had left as they dragged their drained bodies into the bedroom. With no words spoken, Joyce stripped down to her panties and threw on one of Hopper's old wrestling shirts, the warm, soft fabric bringing her more comfort than she thought possible. When Hopper finally dropped down into bed, Joyce was in his arms instantly, her head resting on his shoulder as she thought about the fact she may not have many more nights of peaceful sleep with him by her side after today.

00000

The drive to school the next morning was silent, neither of them knowing what to say to one another besides 'I love you'. Pulling into the school parking lot, a random thought smacked Jim in the face. If he got his number drawn, there was a good chance that some of the other males in his graduating class had as well. Realization loomed like a dark cloud over Hopper as he took in the sight of tear streamed faces of students, letting him know he was right. He wouldn't be the only male from Hawkins going to war and that made everything seem all too real. Putting the truck in park, he glanced at Joyce who had also picked up on their peer's emotions.

"What's on your mind sweetheart?"

"We need to talk about this Jim...figure out a way to keep you here..." Joyce's voice cracked on the last word, making Hopper's heart ache. He knew there was no hope of him staying home and needed to accept his fate.

Reaching for her hand across the cab, Hopper chose his words carefully. "Darlin' there's no way I'm going to be able to stay. It's just not in the cards for me and I've started to accept that."

Hurt and panic quickly flashed in Joyce's eyes, tears already starting to form.

"Honey, don't be sad, I'll make it bac-"

"I'm not sad Hopper, I'm pissed off! How can you just give up so easily!? It's like you don't even care that you're being forced into a pointless war where there's a good possibility that you won't come back to me! We had plans, I had plans, and I won't be able to live if you don't come home! You are the one and only reason that I'm alive today. You're the one who saw how good of a person I was, even back then you tried to stay by my side no matter how much I begged you to find someone else. You stayed, and now it's like none of that even matters! It's like you're determined to go and leave me here in fucking Hawkins not knowing if you're alive or ever coming back home to me!"

The tears were freely falling now and Hopper didn't know if she wanted to kiss him or hit him. "I have to go." Joyce sniffed. "I need to redevelop all the photos those bitches ruined before class. We'll talk about this later. I love you...more than anything." Leaning across the cab, she placed a soft kiss on his freshly shaven cheek. "I'll see you at lunch okay?"

At a loss for words, all Hopper could do was nod. How could Joyce chew him out and tell him how much she loved him all in one conversation?

00000

The sight of Lonnie leaning against his beat up Pontiac smoking a cigarette, caught Hopper's attention as he watched Joyce disappear into a small crowd of people entering the school. Reaching behind his seat, he grabbed the flannel that had saved Joyce from embarrassment, along with his book bag and exited his truck.

Quickly crossing the asphalt, Hopper made his way over to him. "Morning Byers," He stated as he closed in on his car.

Lonnie looked up at his voice, causing Hopper to stumble slightly in his step. He had dark circles under his eyes, circles that matched his own.

"Morning Jim. What's going on?"

Hopper held out Lonnie's flannel, carefully meeting his gaze. "I wanted to thank you for what you did the other day. You helped Joyce when she had no one else and that means a lot to me."

Lonnie carefully took the offered shirt and tossed it into the back seat of his car. "No need to thank me Jim. I'd do anything for her. She was the first friend I made here and didn't care that I was new or weird. Hell she even forgave me for being a jackass. The least I can do is be a decent human being toward her."

"Yeah, she's always been like that. Standing up in her own way to bullies, protecting those she cares about. It's just who she is."

Hopper didn't miss the sad smile on Lonnie's face as he dropped the butt of his cigarette to the ground. "Won't do her any good trying to help me now. She can't protect me where I'm going."

A pit suddenly settled in Hopper's chest, his number had been picked too.

"She won't be there to protect me either." Hopper admitted softly, his hand coming out to squeeze Lonnie's shoulder before turning on his heel and heading inside the school. His boots felt like they were weighed down with cement, each step across the hallway feeling like a mile as he let his eyes scan over the many faces of hurt and despair staring back at him. A familiar figure waiting by his locker was exactly the distraction he needed to stay focused on getting through the day instead of letting the dread he could feel in his gut bubble over.

"Joyce already in class?" Karen wondered as Hopper put in his combination and started digging through the various items inside the metal storage unit. With a sigh, he pulled out the book he was looking for and slammed the door shut, spinning the lock back in place.

"She went to redevelop the photos for the layouts Chrissy ruined. Figured she'd do it now before someone else needed the room." Taking a second to look up and down the halls, he adjusted the strap on his shoulder and leaned against the wall behind him. "Where's Benny?" The two of them had been glued at the hip since they started dating, so his absence made him wonder if something had happened.

It was Karen's turn to sigh and she didn't hesitate to lean in beside him. "He told me what he did to Joyce, and I...I don't know Jim. I don't understand how he could hurt her like that…and then not a single one of you felt the need to tell me? That's a lot to just accept like it never happened...especially since I'm dating him, well...was dating him…"

Dropping his head back onto the cool bricks, Hopper shut his eyes and sucked in a breath. This definitely wasn't the conversation he wanted to have after everything he was currently dealing with. Being emotionally drained didn't even come close to expressing how he was feeling. "Joyce forgave him."

"That doesn't change what happened. What if he did something like that to me? I feel like I don't even know him…" Karen whispered and nervously picked at a piece of paper coming off the cover of the book she was holding.

"He wouldn't do-"

"You don't know that." Karen interrupted him.

"Yes I do, because he knows I'd beat his ass if he ever laid a finger on you." Hopper huffed. "But that's not the point. Look…I've known Benny since we were in middle school and he does stupid shit when he's scared, but hes not a bad person. He knows he messed up with Joyce and he's been doing everything he can to make it up to her, and me. If Joyce was able to forgive him, that has to say something. I mean...he told you the truth about what happened when he could have easily lied. He's trying to be a better person and you've been good for him. I've never seen that idiot happier than I have in the past few months." He said with a slight grin.

Karen stayed silent as she listened, desperately wanting to believe him. "It really doesn't bother you that he hurt her?"

"It did for a while…and I guess it still kind of does." He admitted, his hand finding its way to his chin, searching for the stubble he normally had. "But I don't want to be the kind of person who's angry all the time because of it. I don't want to hold onto the hate I felt for him right after it happened. It made me lash out at the wrong people for the wrong reasons. You saw how I acted after Lonnie kissed her. Joyce didn't deserve to have me speak to her that way and a lot of how I was feeling came from the anger I held onto after what he did and what her father did. When Benny came looking for me the day Chrissy and Marissa went after her in gym, I could tell he was actually trying to not be that asshole anymore."

Karen swallowed and reached out with one arm to wrap it around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. "I hope you're right." She mumbled against his shirt before letting him go. "I know I shouldn't feel responsible since it wasn't my fault, but I'm still sorry it happened. Joyce is my best friend and I don't want her getting hurt because of me. It would kill me to know this entire time she was uncomfortable being around Benny and only did it to make me happy."

"You're one of the best things she's had in a long time and it means a lot to me to know you're willing to put her feelings before others." That little bit of information calmed some of the fear he had at possibly leaving Joyce with no one once he joined the army. She would always have his parents no matter what, but she still needed that one friend to be her rock when he couldn't be anymore. He wasn't exactly afraid of going to war and fighting for his country, but knowing he wouldn't be able to protect her if something happened, or talk to her if she got upset made his heart ache. Quickly blinking back tears as sadness overtook him, he choked out a goodbye to Karen and disappeared down the crowded hallway to find the nearest bathroom.

00000

The first two classes of the day passed by in a blur, teachers giving the seniors a break when they realized learning was the furthest thing from most the students minds. Everyone was more worried about the young men of Hawkins that would soon be shipped off to war than a stupid quiz that no longer really seemed important.

Hopper chose to keep to himself while seated at his desk, not speaking to anyone as time ticked by. Even when his favorite teacher pulled him aside to offer him comfort, Hopper politely excused himself from the conversation and went to his next class. He was just so tired. Tired of hearing how sorry everyone was, and tired of watching as his life slowly crumbled down around him. Senior year was supposed to be filled with laughter and fun, going to prom and graduating, and in the blink of an eye those things were suddenly something he'd no longer get to experience.

With the day continuing to drag on, lunch couldn't have come quick enough. It was the one thing Hopper had been looking forward to since leaving Joyce that morning. Seeing her always made him feel safe and warm, but as he sat there listening to Karen explain to Joyce about Benny, he found himself feeling completely numb. It wasn't that he didn't want to be there for his friends, he just couldn't physically or emotionally support himself right then, let alone someone else.

When the bell rang signaling the end of their time together, Hopper tried to ignore the sadness in Joyce's features at having to let him go. Sharing a kiss goodbye, Hopper immediately retreated back inside of his head like a mindless zombie in an attempt to keep his emotions under control.

The final period of the day felt like it had taken an eternity to arrive, and by that point Hopper was so overwhelmed he didn't think twice about exiting the building and heading to a place he knew would help relieve some of the stress he was feeling.

"Why the hell aren't you in class?" Hopper asked as he walked toward his spot under the bleachers where Benny was currently seated, leaning against a metal pole.

"I could ask you the same thing." Benny countered, readjusting his posture and placing what he'd been trying to hide back in his lap when he realized it wasn't a teacher.

Hopper tossed his backpack to the ground and plopped down in front of Benny, resting against one of the many concrete pillars under the stands. "Are you seriously out here smoking pot?" He asked, instantly picking up on the distinct smell when he blew out a puff of smoke in his direction.

"Not exactly having a good day." Benny sighed before bending his right leg and resting his elbow on top of his knee, his free hand swiping across his face.

"So I heard...ran into Karen this morning," Hopper admitted, feeling bad for his friend as he watched him inhale another lungful of smoke.

"I'm so fucking sorry for what I did Jim...I wish I could take it back, along with the past six years. I was such an asshole and maybe Karen isn't wrong for leaving me." Benny huffed. "I just didn't want to lie to her…"

Hopper wasn't exactly sure what to say. The emotions he'd been dealing with since dinner yesterday were enough to bring him to his knees and he wasn't sure right now was the best time for him to offer advice to anyone. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to deal with life in general at the moment, let alone this. "Have you tried talking to her?"

Sucking down another puff of smoke, Benny picked at the grass below him. "Of course I did and she wasn't having it. She told me to stop calling her last night, then completely ignored me this morning in the parking lot."

"Just give her some space and a chance to understand what happened. She seemed just as hurt as you when I talked to her." Hopper admitted.

Benny shook his head. "She's probably better off without me. There's this older guy Ted that comes into the diner when she's working, and every time they talk, she lights up like I've never seen before… She'd never have to worry about him hurting her either."

Hopper frowned at the heartbreak he could feel coming from his friend and moved to sit beside him. "You know as well as I do that you'd never hurt her. What happened with Joyce was a mistake, but I know you don't want to be that person anymore. I've seen how you are around her now, and what you've done for us both since it happened. Karen will come around, just give her some time."

"You don't understand...this guy...he's got a good job, money, things he can give her that I'll never be able to. Why the hell would she choose to stay with a fuck up like me over someone like that?" Benny sulked, dropping his head. "You three are the only friends I have left since I stopped talking to the team and the old group I used to hang with. If Karen doesn't want anything to do with me anymore, neither will Joyce...and then neither will you."

Hopper closed his eyes and chewed on the inside of his cheek, trying his best to not let his own emotions cause him to say something he'd regret. He cared about Benny, he was his friend, but he was struggling with his own problems at the moment. As badly as he wanted to tell him he didn't give a shit about any of this right now, he held his tongue and forced himself to be supportive.

"Listen man, give her a chance to forgive you. You can't just give up that easily, especially if you love her as much as you say you do." Hopper offered.

Benny turned his body slightly, dropping his head against the pole behind him. "I guess you're right. I'm sorry to unload all this on you, it just sucks you know?"

"I get it. You're not the only one having a shitty day, trust me."

"You alright?" Benny asked, finally taking a second to notice he really did look like shit, but then again so did the entire school.

"Not really, but it's nothing you need to worry about." Hopper was pretty sure if Benny pressed the subject, he wouldn't be able to talk about the draft and the current black hole sitting in the pit of his stomach, so when he was met with silence instead of a million questions, he couldn't have been more relieved.

"Want some?" Benny held out his hand, the joint pressed firmly between his thumb and pointer finger.

Hopper had never smoked pot before, but given the circumstances, he really didn't give a shit about the consequences that might come from it. "Sure." Taking the stick from Benny, he carefully placed the paper against his lips and inhaled, immediately sending himself into a coughing fit.

Benny chuckled and patted Hopper on the back playfully. "First time?"

"Fuck you." Hopper spat between coughs, only making Benny laugh harder.

"You smoke those nasty ass unfiltered camels all the time, what's the problem?" Benny teased, quickly dodging a light punch to his arm.

"I've also been smoking them since I was sixteen jackass, and they're not nasty. The ones with the filters just aren't as satisfying." He shrugged.

"Well if cigarettes calm you down, you're in for one hell of a ride my friend. Hope Joyce can drive your truck home."

"Oh shit, I didn't even think about that." Hopper chuckled, already starting to feel the effects from the one hit he'd taken.

"Fucking lightweight." Benny laughed and passed the stick back to him.

"She can drive...at least I think she can. She doesn't have a license or anything, but she drives the truck around the farm without any problems."

Benny gave him a nod and allowed a comfortable silence to fall over them for a moment as they shared the joint, the pot slowly starting to ease some of the stress Hopper had been dealing with.

"I hope I'm able to get something like this over in Nam. I can only imagine the fucked up stuff that place is going to do to me."

"Was wondering when you were going to bring that up. Heard Lonnie saying you got your number called like him. I think Scott Anderson, Adam Fulk, and James Steven's got their letter as well." Benny coughed, reaching into the pocket of his jeans for a small metal clip.

"There's really nothing to talk about ya know? It's going to happen and no one can say otherwise. The only thing I can do now is prepare and hope for the best."

"What's Joyce saying about it?" Benny questioned as he fidgeted with the clip and what was left of the small paper roll.

"Pretty much what you would expect. She's scared to death and trying to figure out any way possible to keep me from going. Dads doing the same thing. I'm just trying not to get my hopes up you know?"

Benny nodded and took the last hit of the now diminished joint.

"I got a favor to ask..." Hopper voiced, his head leaning back against the cement that was supporting him.

"What's up man? If you need some more pot you know I get it from Kevin, and it's pretty good shit if I do say so myself."

Hopper shook his head, a grin gracing his lips as he ran his hands up and down his jean clad thighs.

"If I don't…If I don't make it back, I need you to promise me that you'll look out for Joyce. Make sure she takes care of herself and that she's happy. She needs to find someone else and have the family she's always wanted. Even if it's not with me."

"I'm gonna have to stop you right there Jim. You're coming back, and when you do, you and her will get married and have a house with three or four kids for Uncle Benny to spoil. So don't be talking like your future is decided. Especially not in front of Joyce who will be able to hear us in about five seconds."

Hopper looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching to see Joyce, followed closely by Karen, making their way under the bleachers. If looks could kill, both men would be severely wounded by the glares the two women had on their faces.

"So let me get this straight. You skipped class and left me waiting by the truck for an hour, worried out of my mind, so you could sit here with Benny and get high?! Jesus Hop." Joyce scolded as she nudged his knee with the toe of her shoe.

"Shit Honey, I'm sorry. I didn't realize what time it was."

"How are we supposed to get home? You're clearly in no condition to drive and I don't have a license."

"Looks like you're going to be joining our merry little band of law breakers today Joyce." Benny chuckled as he rubbed at his eyes.

"It's not funny Benny. What if the Chief finds out?" Karen questioned.

"You know as well as I do that Jim is incapable of getting in trouble." Benny teased, trying to brush aside the warmth he felt at Karen speaking to him.

"Guys, I got this alright? No worries." Hopper grabbed his bag and slowly climbed to his feet, the tightness in his muscles making him groan. Had they really been sitting out there for over an hour?

"The hell you do." Joyce scowled.

"Honey I'm fine, really."

"You're not driving Jim." When he attempted to move around her, Joyce grabbed onto his belt loop to hold him in place and not so easily dug his keys out of his pocket.

"There's no way you're driving either Benny. We're going to sit in your truck until you sober up a bit." Karen stated as she helped Benny up from the ground. The moment he was steady on his feet, she let go of his arm, but didn't move from his side.

"Come on, let's get going." Joyce said, then started giggling at Hopper leaning against her and placing several kisses across her face. "I'm still mad at you. You loving all over me isn't going to change that."

"Hey, a guy can dream." Benny laughed from behind them as the couples began the trek back to the parking lot.

The sight of old blue Chevy made Joyce's body flood with relief and anxiety all at once. She was happy to have Hopper putting his weight against the truck instead of her, but now she had to face her fear of driving on a public road.

"I'm telling you Joy, I've got this."

"And we're telling you that you don't. Come on Benny, we're going to be sitting here for a while, might as well talk." Karen gently nudged him in the direction of his pickup as Joyce turned to climb into the driver seat of Hopper's.

"I don't even know if I can reach the pedals Hopper!" Joyce growled in frustration, the brute of a man beside her sliding into the truck with ease.

"You got this Honey, I have faith in you. Just stretch those little legs of yours and they will grow the last few inches you need. But don't stretch too much, I kind of like you being smaller than me."

If Joyce hadn't been mad as hell at their current situation she would have found Jim's stoned ramblings adorable.

"Well I'm glad at least one of us is having a good time." Joyce huffed as she stretched and pressed the brake down with the toe of her shoes. Carefully sliding the key into the ignition, she gave it a quick turn and the truck roared to life.

"We're literally fifteen minutes from the house, you'll be fine."

"So you keep saying. I'm just glad Benny and Karen are the only people left in the parking lot. I don't need anyone else seeing how bad my driving is."

"Just keep on your side of the road and you'll be good to go."

Pulling out onto the main road had Joyce concentrating more then she had on anything in months. Was there normally this much traffic out when they headed home? Why was everyone driving so fast?

00000

"I'm already stressed enough Hop, you don't have to laugh every time I freak out when a car drives by. It's not helping." Joyce complained, her grip on the steering wheel tightening.

Hopper smiled and slid across the cab, carefully placing his hand on her thigh. "Stop being so damn cute and I'll stop laughing."

"How the hell is me possibly getting into a wreck or pulled over cute?" She questioned, the circles she could feel him rubbing into the fabric of her jeans doing little to calm her already overworked nerves.

"Joyce nothing bad is going to happen, you're doing fine. Besides, right there's the driveway." Hopper pointed, watching as she lightly tapped the brakes and flipped on the turn signal.

Letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, Joyce finally leaned back into the seat and felt some of the tension in her shoulders ease. She was still upset Hopper had put her in this situation to start with, but as the house slowly came into view, the irritation she'd been feeling started to fade when he softly pressed his lips to her temple.

"You did great Honey." Hopper praised, taking the keys from her once the truck was in park.

Joyce sighed and waited a second before opening the door. "I guess it wasn't so bad. I really should look into getting my license soon anyway." She didn't have to actually say the words for Hopper to understand what she meant. Once he was gone she'd have to start depending on herself for things like this.

"One day at a time sweetheart. But let's get going, I'm sure our parents are wondering where the hell we are." Hopper laughed and shifted to slide out of the truck, closing the passenger door with more force than necessary.

"Care to explain to me why in the hell Joyce is driving instead of you Jim?" Greg's voice thundered as he stepped out of the barn, catching them red handed.

Joyce froze at the stern expression on Greg's face. She had never made him mad before and she didn't particularly want to start now.

"Psst. Joyce. I think we're in trouble." Hopper whispered none too quietly as Greg stopped in front of them, taking in a deep breath through his nose.

"Please tell me you hit a skunk coming down the driveway and that I'm not smelling weed coming off of your clothes Jim."

"To be honest with you dad, if she did hit a skunk on the way home she wouldn't have killed it. She was doing fifteen the entire way." Hopper chuckled and elbowed Joyce a few times to draw attention to his joke. Joyce chose not to respond, her face turning red with embarrassment.

"Seriously son? I'm the chief of police! Do you have an idea how bad you being high would reflect on me if you were to get caught? Or if Joyce had been pulled over? She doesn't have a license and you're high as a fucking kite! Do you know how worried your mama and I would have been if y'all were in a wreck because you decided to get stoned knowing good and damn well that Joyce isn't that experienced at driving? I know you're stressed son, we all are, but you can't be acting like this."

Hopper had the common sense to look ashamed and hung his head. Whether it was out of actual shame, or to hide the fact he was grinning like a loon, Joyce would never know.

With a sigh, Greg held out his hand toward Hopper. "Give me your keys and go up to your room until I call for you. Joyce, I think Mary could use your help in the kitchen with dinner."

Joyce nodded and led the way inside. Quickly unlacing her boots, she slid them off in the front entry before making a beeline for the kitchen where Mary was standing in front of the pantry door, her hands on her hips.

"What do you guys want for sides with the chicken tonight?" She questioned, not moving from her spot as she continued looking through the various items spread out over the shelves.

"Pepperoni slices." Came Hopper's voice from behind Joyce.

"What? You feeling okay Jim?" Mary asked, watching as her son walked over to the cabinet where they kept all of the snacks.

"Okay, hear me out mom. Pizza slices, but we dip them in that vanilla icing you use for the red velvet cake."

Joyce quickly crossed the kitchen and smacked Hopper's hand, making him lose his grip on the snack cake he'd been pulling out of the box.

"Ow Joyce! What was that for?!" Hopper whined and tried once again to grab a Swiss roll.

"Greg what's going on?" Mary asked, her arms now crossed over her chest. Greg just shook his head, trying not to laugh at the sight of his son being denied snacks by a woman half his size.

"Our son here had a little date with Mary Jane and now has the munchies."

"James Kenneth Hopper! You better not have driven home high!" Mary yelled as Hopper finally grabbed an armful of snacks and made a run for the hallway, only to turn back and dash to the fridge, grabbing the entire carton of milk, before running up the stairs.

"If you eat all of those don't expect me to feel sorry for you when you get sick Jim!" Joyce yelled after him, the sound of a door slamming shut echoing back down into the kitchen.

"What the hell is going on in my house?!" Mary looked at Greg for answers.

"I don't know Darlin', but the boy may be onto something with the pizza and vanilla icing." Greg laughed.


	31. Chapter 31

Greg woke to a cold and empty bed. Mary's side of the comforter was still as prim as it had been this morning when she had made it. Blindly fumbling for the watch on his nightstand, he groaned when he saw the time. A quarter after four. Had she even come to bed? Sitting up with a sigh, he cringed when his bare feet met the cool hardwood floors. Not bothering to pull on his t-shirt, he made his way slowly toward his bedroom door and down the hallway.

The sound of scrubbing met his ears when he walked into the kitchen, ducking slightly to not hit his head on the archway. Mary was standing by the window, yellow elbow-length rubber gloves on both hands and a toothbrush between her fingers, scrubbing away at what Greg figured was now invisible dirt on the counter.

"Honey, what are you doing up still? Come to bed." Greg pleaded as he watched the love of his life ignore him and continue to scrub a crack near the stove. He didn't move until he heard her sharp intake of breath and quickly crossed the kitchen in two strides to pull her shaking frame against his own. His hands immediately went to her neck, rubbing small circles in the way he knew calmed her.

"We can't lose him, Greg. We can't lose our boy." Mary sobbed into his bare chest.

"Shhh, we're not going to lose him okay? Jim is strong, smart, he's a Hopper. Nothing is going to keep him from coming back home to us, to her."

Mary continued to cry against his skin, no amount of soothing working to bring her down from the emotional roller coaster she was currently on. Jim was her baby, her only son, and there was a chance that she was going to lose him.

"What if he doesn't make it? Or what if he comes back and isn't my son anymore? What if he loses a limb, or has PTSD?"

Greg tried his damnedest to be strong for his wife and he almost succeeded until he felt her hot tears fall against him. Mary was the strongest woman he knew besides Joyce and seeing her this torn up literally made his heart ache.

"I know you're upset honey, we both are. But we need to be strong for Jim. He's probably scared to death right now and he needs our support more than ever. And think about Joyce. She's just as worried as you are, if not more. We have to be strong for our kids."

Greg continued to hold Mary tight to his chest as she worked through her tears. He would bet that she didn't realize just how much she and Joyce were alike in some ways. When she leaned her head back enough to breathe, Greg loosened his grip. "It's going to hurt. It's gonna hurt a hell of a lot, but we have to do this for them, Mary. So please, come to bed. Get a few hours of sleep before you slip on that protective mama bear mask."

Mary nodded and not so enthusiastically untangled her arms from Greg's shoulders.

"We have three hours before the kids wake up. Let's try and get in a nap before its time to face reality."

Following Mary out of the kitchen, Greg habitually turned off the kitchen light and walked the path he knew by heart up the stairs and into their bedroom.

00000

The familiar ring of Hoppers' alarm clock startled him out of an uneasy night's sleep. With more force than necessary, he slammed the snooze button and brought the room into silence once more. The red numbers glared back at him from their home on his nightstand. Mocking him with the knowledge that he would have to get up and face the day, all the while trying to hold himself together for his family. He knew he had to be strong, had to put on that mask of a fearless man, knowing on the inside he was scared to death of what would happen to him. What sort of fate would Joyce have if he didn't come home? Would Benny keep his promise and make sure she found a nice man to settle down with, to have children and a home? Just the thought of Joyce in the arms of another man made his insides hurt.

Without a conscious thought, he rolled over and pulled Joyce close to his chest. He was used to her being a light sleeper, waking up when a speck of dust would land on the floor. But now the woman snuggled up against him was sleeping like a log. Her deep and even breaths helped calm him in ways he didn't understand. He knew he should do right by her. Make her understand that if he didn't make it back, that she should move on. Today however, would not be that day. He had a headache just thinking about it. She would fight him tooth and nail all the way, the fight he knew burning in her would take control and she would either punch him or kiss him.

A kiss was gently placed on his chest, signaling that the spitfire of a woman he loved was waking up. "Did you get any sleep at all?" She whispered, looking up into his eyes, worry evident in them already.

"More than I thought I would." He lied, probably not as smoothly as he'd hoped.

"I don't know if I want to go downstairs just yet." Joyce confided, snuggling back into his warm skin, the dark hair covering his sternum tickling her cheeks.

"We don't have to, but we should soon. Mom and Dad are already up and I think moms making pancakes." He murmured, kissing the top of her head.

"How do you know that?"

"I can smell the batter, as weird as it sounds. It's sweet, but not too sweet."

"That makes absolutely no sense, Hop." Joyce sighed as she made to roll over, his hand on her hip the only thing slowing her movements.

"I love you. More than anything on this earth Joyce. Forever and always."

"Forever and Always."

Hopper once again pulled Joyce into his chest, not wanting to let her go, today or tomorrow, or even years from now. He wanted to wake up to her beautiful face every morning for the rest of his life.

"I can't tell what you're thinking." She whispered, her lips softly meeting his.

"Nothing you need to worry about Honey. Now come on, it's unfortunately time for us to be adults."

00000

Hopper had been right. Mary was indeed making pancakes for breakfast. The light and fluffy comfort food however, did nothing to help the tense and distressed mood that the kitchen seemed to be holding onto. Neither Mary nor Greg looked like they had got much sleep the night before. Each of them had dark circles underneath their eyes.

"Morning mom, dad." Hopper greeted as he walked toward the coffee pot in the corner of the counter.

"You going to start drinking coffee now Jim? It'll put hair on your chest." Greg joked as he spooned sugar into his own cup at the table.

"Like I need any more of that. I just didn't sleep well. Figured I could use a little caffeine to keep me going today."

"Might want to mix a little milk and sugar in with it Hun, it's a little rough to drink it black." Mary mentioned from her position at the stove, doing her best to avoid the topic plaguing everyone's mind.

Joyce hadn't said a word as she walked through the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice, then moved toward the cabinet beside the fridge that the family had repurposed as a medicine cabinet. Reaching for the clear blue bottle with her name marked on it, she pressed down and twisted the cap, turning the bottle on its side, a single pill spilled out into her waiting palm. Completely upending the bottle, she found that she indeed only had one pill left, making her daily dose half of what it should be. Placing the pill in her mouth, she swallowed it down and set the empty bottle back on the counter before joining the men at the table.

"Dad, I told you. Don't worry about doing anything to keep me home. You've already done everything you can. I'm screwed. I'm going to Vietnam and there aren't any more favors you can call in that will change that!" Jim practically yelled, ignoring the look on his father's face.

"Jim, honey, he's just doing everything in his power to keep you home where you belong." Mary insisted, trying to soothe both the irritated males in the small kitchen.

"Why? So I can be labeled one of those draft dodgers? Do you know how much shame that would bring upon me? Upon this family? I won't have it! My kids won't be bullied years from now because their dad is labeled a pussy for not wanting to defend his country."

"Jim, you know that's not why we want you to stay home, we need you here. Not to mention things over there aren't exactly stable. You could be shot just walking down the damn road! Not to mention there's no telling what kind of diseases they have there, you don't know a single word in Vietnamese, and-"

"Mom." Mary's rant was cut off by the pleading sound in Hopper's voice.

"I don't want to have this fight. I'm tired. There's nothing we can do. I'm sorry. I just want to spend whatever time I have left here doing the things I love and keeping a normal routine. Or, as normal as we can have it. Please. I'm begging you. All of you." Hopper's gaze fell on the three of them one by one, his eyes showing the sorrow he was trying desperately to hide.

Greg hesitates, but nods at his son, torn between being proud of him and mad that he still hasn't learned how to listen. Mary turns her back to the kitchen, facing the open window above the sink, already cleaning up the dishes from breakfast before anyone had even begun to eat. Greg and Jim didn't say another word as they finally started putting pancakes and bacon onto their plates.

Joyce stood and carefully moved to Mary's side, not wanting to draw the attention of one particular Hopper male. "Mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

"I don't want to bring this up at a bad time, but umm...I just took the last pill I had in my prescription. Am I going to have to go back to that place? To doctor Brenner to get it refilled?"

Mary gave Joyce a gentle smile as she dried her hands off on a light blue kitchen towel. "Probably, but since it's just to get your prescription refilled it wo-"

"I want to be there." Hopper interrupted from across the kitchen. His stern voice copying that of his father whenever he meant business. "Especially after what happened last time. She doesn't remember what they do to her back there and I'm not having it. She comes out sick, has memory loss, its bullshit."

"Jim watch your mouth in the house." Greg states, cutting into his second pancake. "He's right though Mary. I'm not entirely sure about her going back there again by herself. Let him go with her. He'll know when to sound the alarm if things start going sideways."

Suddenly the grandfather clock in the living room chimed eight o-clock, letting both teens know that they needed to get a move on in order to get to school on time. Joyce stepped toward the table and grabbed a few slices of bacon, folding and rolling them up inside a pancake before drizzling it with a little syrup.

"Let's get going or we're going to be late."

00000

The hum of the old Chevy's engine kept the cab from being completely silent as the gears in Joyce's mind turned rapidly with any solution to healing the festering wound that had been tormenting them for weeks.

"I can hear you thinking from here Joyce. What's going on?" Hopper softly questioned and reached across the seat to place his hand on her jean-clad knee.

"Runaway with me." She stated, turning her body to face him.

"What?"

"Hop, run away with me. Anywhere you want to go. We can move to fucking Antarctica if it will keep you from leaving me. Please, honey. We could go to another country and have a baby if we have to. I can't lose you!" Joyce pleaded, failing miserably at holding back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. She knew she was grasping at strings, but she couldn't seem to overcome her desperation.

Hopper sighed and took his hand off her knee to rub at his eyes, the dark circles underneath them showing just how much sleep he was managing to actually get since the arrival of his draft letter. Turning into the parking lot of Hawkins High, he pulled into the first available parking spot and put his back to his window, before taking her hand into his.

"Honey, I don't want to leave. Why would I want to go to a hot jungle, being shot at every moment of every day, fighting for my life, when I could be at home here with you starting the life I want us to have? I want to be able to wake up to your sleeping face every morning for the rest of my life Joyce, but there isn't anything I can do. I've thought of literally everything to keep this from happening. Running just postpones them sending me away when they do find me. If we're hiding out somewhere in another country with you seven months pregnant and they find me and take me away, then what are you going to do? What good is that doing anyone? There are no favors dad can call in, we can't pay anyone off to keep me home, and even if we could I wouldn't let it happen. I'm not going to risk being labeled a coward. I won't."

"Why do I feel like you're giving up?" Joyce was crying now, the tears she had been trying so hard to keep at bay flowing freely down her cheeks.

"I haven't given up Honey. I was never fighting for a way out to begin with." Hopper reached for her, his thumb wiping away the tears she had missed. "Please, we don't have a lot of time left until graduation and I'm forced to go. It's going to hurt bad enough when I have to leave you and I would rather leave knowing we had the best time we could instead of constantly going back and forth about this." He pulled her across the cab and into his lap, her head resting underneath his chin. He felt her body shaking with effort as she tried to stop crying.

"I can't lose you, Jim. I won't make it without you."

"No matter what happens honey I will always be right here." Hopper placed his hand on the left side of her chest, the strong heartbeat he felt underneath giving him the strength to say the next words. "Even if I don't make it back, I'll always be here honey."

00000

After surviving a week of forcing back feelings and pretending like nothing was wrong, Saturday offered the couple a chance to spend time with their friends and relieve some of the stress that had been weighing them down lately.

When Hopper opened the door to the diner, Joyce was instantly slapped in the face with the smell of fryer grease and ketchup. The cool air of Patsy's caused goosebumps to cover her arms, the yellow sundress she chose to wear doing nothing to keep her warm.

Joyce looked around the best restaurant in Hawkins for Benny and Karen and felt Hopper's hand on her hip, facing her toward a red cracked booth to the left of the bar. Benny and Karen were sitting with their backs to the door, Karen's head on his shoulder.

"Alright love birds, this is a public establishment." Hopper laughed as they approached the table and allowed Joyce to slide in first.

"We were beginning to wonder if you two were going to show up." Benny chuckled, picking up the menu in front of him.

"Sorry, someone was feeling self-conscious in her new sundress." Hopper teased, resting his hand on Joyce's bare knee.

"You have no reason to be self-conscious Joyce! You look beautiful! Not to mention it's hotter than Satan's armpit outside and It's not even summer yet. Imagine how it's going to be in July or August?" Karen commented, taking a sip of her drink before glancing over at Benny and giggling. "I don't know why you are looking at the menu, you get the same thing every time we come here."

"They could have added something different!" Benny countered, flipping the menu over.

"Benny, I know you. You're going to get chicken fingers and fries with honey mustard."

"And now I'm going to get something different just because you think you know me." Benny stuck his tongue out to prove a point before turning his attention back to Hopper and Joyce. "What are you two going to get?"

"I'll probably get a burger, and knowing Joyce she's going to want a salad, but end up taking some of my fries because too healthy isn't really her style." Hopper laughed, moving to wrap his arm around her shoulders. "I should have brought a flannel for you to put on while we're in the air conditioner, you're freezing Honey."

"I'll be okay, just wasn't thinking about it being cold in here as hot as it was outside."

The shuffle of feet neared their table and caused the group to look up. They were met with a wave from Bob and a girl who sidestepped a waitress with a tray of drinks and stood closer to their table.

"Hey guys, Karen, Joyce." Bob nodded in the direction of the girls. Ever the gentleman he grasped the girls hand, ready for a formal introduction of her as his girlfriend. "This is Amanda Bennett. Amanda, this is Joyce, Jim, Karen and Benny."

"It's a pleasure to meet you two, Joyce, Jim, nice to see you again." Amanda grinned, the apple of her cheeks beginning to turn a bright shade of red.

"Hey Bob, I can seat you two now." Mary Ann's voice called from behind the couple.

"Thanks Mary Ann, we'll see you guys later," Bob said as he moved his hand to Amanda's lower back, guiding her through the diner and toward their booth.

"Nice to see you again huh? I smell a story." Karen giggled and leaned forward in the booth, her elbows on the table.

"Yeah, we may or may not have walked in on her and Bob when we were wanting a quick make-out session in the AV room." Hopper laughed, his own face turning a slight shade of pink at the memory.

"Sorry to keep y'all waiting, what can I get you to drink?" Mary Ann asked from the side of the table, her receipt book already in her hand.

"Oh, it's alright we're not in any hurry. I'm going to have a coke and I think Joyce is going to have a sweet tea." Hopper stated, turning slightly to see their fellow classmate.

"Are y'all ready to order your food or do you need a few more minutes?"

Karen glanced around the table before taking the lead. "I think we're ready to order. I'm going to have a hotdog all the way, and a side of fries."

"What about you Benny?" Mary Ann questioned, her eyes not leaving the pad in her hand as she scribbled down Karen's order.

"Chicken fingers and fries with honey mustard please." Benny smiled sheepishly as Karen gently poked him in the ribs.

"Joyce?"

"I'll have the grilled chicken salad with ranch please."

"Yes ma'am, and you Jim?"

"A burger with lettuce, tomato, and bacon please."

"Alright, I'll get it put in for you." Mary Ann bounced away, ripping the ticket from her pad to place in the kitchen window.

"So when are we going to go dress shopping for prom, Joyce?" Karen asked as she snuggled back into Benny's side.

"I honestly haven't given prom much thought," Joyce admitted, shrugging slightly, the strap of her sundress falling off of her shoulder. Before she could move to fix it, Hopper's fingers were gently sliding it back into place, leaving a trail of goosebumps against her skin that had nothing at all to do with the cold.

"I mean, I'd like to go. It's our senior year, we're not going to get another chance." Hopper commented, bringing a straw up to his lips as Mary Ann brought their drinks and hurried away to the Robinson's a few tables over.

"I don't even know what color dress I would want to wear." Joyce sighed, already dreading the shopping trip that Karen was going to drag her on. Hours of trying on dresses just to wear it for one night didn't seem like a fun time to her. "Can't I just get something from that thrift store near the station? I'm sure they would have something there to fit me."

"Absolutely not!" All three of her table mates said at the same time.

"Jesus, okay, okay no thrift shop dress." Joyce giggled, taking a sip of her tea.

"No women should have to wear someone else's dress to their senior prom, or their wedding." Karen deadpanned, sitting up straight in the booth.

"When do you want to go then?"

"We have time to figure that out in a few weeks. We'll have to find shoes too and accessories!" Karen practically squealed just as Mary Ann arrived with their food.

"If ya'll need anything else just holler, I'll be around here somewhere."

The group quickly tucked into their lunch, talk of prom, graduation, and regular town gossip filling their table with laughs and a small french fry fight.

"Dammit Hopper! You got ketchup up my arm!" Joyce whined as she flicked a chunk of an overdone fry off her arm.

"Sorry honey, at least I didn't get it on your dress."

"Yeah, I would have been pissed if you would have. This is the first time I've worn it, I'd like to keep it stain-free please."

"Do you guys want to get ice cream?" Benny questioned as he dipped his final few fries into the ketchup on his plate.

"I'm always down for ice cream." Hopper laughed and shifted to stand from the booth. He stayed close enough to keep prying eyes off of Joyce as she scooted to the edge of the booth and got to her feet as well.

"I'm going to go clean my arm off. It's sticky." She wrinkled her nose at the uncomfortable feeling in the crease of her elbow.

"Alright honey, I'll go ahead and pay. I love you." Hopper leaned down and placed a soft kiss to her lips before heading for the cash register.

Joyce turned in the opposite direction toward the bathrooms just as a few of the older residents of Hawkins started to fill the booths for an early evening dinner, along with a booth full of baseball players from their graduating class. She carefully passed the table, ignoring the uncomfortable catcalls and whistles of the baseball players as she ducked into the bathroom.

Quickly washing her hands and arm, Joyce dried off with a paper towel and heading back out into the diner. Foot traffic had begun to pick up, causing her to walk closer to the booths to avoid getting in the way of the other patrons trying to get to their tables. Stepping out of the way of Mrs. Baker and her wheelchair, Joyce was forced to stop beside the booth filled with baseball players.

"Looking good there, Horowitz. Who knew you had amazing legs under those baggy jeans." Brandon Greene said with a grin.

As Joyce began to step away from the table, the sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the air, followed quickly by a sting on her ass. Her hands immediately went to cover the burning skin as she turned her backside from Brandon.

"Don't fucking touch me." Joyce scoffed, her voice rising along with the color of her cheeks.

"Oh come Joyce, can't be any worse than anything Jim's done. Besides, I bet you loved it." Brandon smirked at the look on her face, getting a laugh from the rest of his table.

"Stay away from me you pig." Joyce snapped and turned to head back to her friends.

"What did you say slut?" Brandon asked rather loudly, the commotion grabbing the attention of several people surrounding them.

"Are you deaf or just fucking stupid?" Joyce mouthed, her voice rising along with his. The next thing she knew Brandon was on his feet and towering over her, his green and white baseball tee tightening with the force of his breathing as he none too gently grabbed her by her arm, pulling her closer to his body.

00000

Benny carefully tucked a strand of Karen's hair behind her ear as they waited for Jim and Joyce to rejoin them. No matter how Karen had it up, the same strand always seemed to flutter down into her face, but he didn't mind, it gave him an excuse to always touch her cheek. She was truly the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"What did you just say slut?"

Benny's ears instantly picked up on the obnoxiously loud guy somewhere in the restaurant and regrettably let his eyes leave Karen's smile to scan the diner, trying to figure out what was going on. The sight unfolding in front of him made his blood run cold.

"Karen, find Jim." He whispered and made Karen scoot out of the booth, almost dumping her on the floor with the force from his hips. He quickly covered the width of the diner and knocked Brandon's grip on Joyce loose with a shove to his shoulder.

"Are you just looking to get your ass beat today Brandon?" Benny growled, positioning himself between Joyce and Brandon.

"Pfft, you and what army Hammond? If I'm counting right, there's six of us and only one of you."

The sound of feet hitting linoleum echoed through the diner, the rest of the baseball team getting to their feet to stand behind Brandon like a pack of wolves defending their Alpha.

"He's not alone." Benny turned to his right to see Bob standing beside him, a look of determination on his face. "You're not going to hurt Joyce, not while we're around."

"Joyce? Benny? What's going on?" Hopper's voice rose above the growing noise coming from the group of teens.

"Seems Greene here can't keep his hands to himself, Jim. Decided it was a smart idea to smack Joyce on the ass." Benny informed Hopper who was now standing to Benny's left.

"You did what?!" Hopper questioned, stepping into Brandon's space, their chests bumping in an attempted show of dominance. "I really hope you aren't that stupid." Hopper growled, an almost animalistic urge to headbutt the dumbass trying to overtake him.

"Guys come on, this isn't the place to do this. I've told him off, now drop it." Joyce pleaded, her brain telling her this situation wasn't going to stay calm if they didn't leave soon.

Carefully weeding herself between the three men coming to her defense, Joyce intertwined her hand with Hopper's, trying to defuse the situation. The breath she had been holding was slowly exhaled when he took a step back, Bob and Benny following his lead.

"Hop, please, let's just go okay?" Joyce pleaded again, trying to get his attention off of the man in front of him. Her stomach dropped when she saw a grin flash across Brandon's face.

"It's alright Jim, you won't be here much longer. I promise I'll take good care of Joyce while you're lost in the jungle." Brandon sneered, crossing his arms over his chest.

Before Joyce could tighten her grip on Hopper, he ripped his hand from hers, his fist coming up and connecting with Brandon's jaw. Startled with the hit, but quick on his feet, Brandon lunged at Hopper, his arms swinging for wherever he could reach. Hopper swiftly grabbed Brandon by the back of the neck and slammed his face onto the table where the team had been sitting moments before.

Joyce's fight or flight instincts kicked in the moment the first punch was thrown, however her instinct to flee wasn't matched by Benny or Bob, who were both now going one on one with another member of the team.

"Y'all knock it off!" A familiar yell came from behind them.

Joyce and the rest of the girls were herded to the bar as John, the diner's cook and Mark, Greg's right-hand deputy worked to pull the fighting teens apart.

"You guys have got to be shitting me! Jim, over there, Benny by the bar. Bob, against that wall!" Mark demanded, keeping the boys on opposite sides of the aisle. "Now, someone tell me what in the hell is going on here?!" Mark yelled, his hand pushing Brandon's shoulder down, forcing him to sit in the now ruined booth. Mark's eye's landed on Joyce and she sighed, their so-called easy afternoon had been completely ruined. She wasn't mad at Hopper, or at anyone for that matter considering everyone had been stressed out since receiving their letters, but to have the one thing she'd been looking forward to all week turn out like this made her want to scream.

When the bell above the door echoed throughout the now silent restaurant, everyone turned to stare at the Chief as he walked toward the group shaking his head. Greg immediately went to Jim, pulling him aside to speak in private as Joyce watched the man's jaw clench and Hopper's hands ball into fists at his sides. Greg said something Joyce couldn't hear, pointed toward the door and the next thing Joyce knew, Hopper was storming out of the diner.

Greg wasted no time in marching over to where Brandon was sitting in the booth, trying to get his nose to stop bleeding. "Did you put your hands on my daughter?" He asked, his left hand moving to rest on the back of the booth, his other on the table to lean over the much smaller teen.

Brandon blinked a few times in shock at the chief towering above him. "I...she's...no."

"Get up." Greg demanded, taking a step back. When Brandon made no effort to move, Greg reached down to grab a hold of his collar and jerked him to his feet.

Taking a second to find his footing, Brandon dropped his eyes to the ground and intentionally avoided the intimidating glare the older man was giving him. "I'm sorry." He whispered.

Greg scoffed and let go of the kids collar, pushing on his shoulder instead. "Move." He demanded, leading him toward the exit of the diner. As he passed by Joyce he paused and lightly touched her arm to make her look at him. "Jim is waiting for you outside."

Joyce silently nodded and watched as he led Brandon out the door. Mark and another officer started gathering everyone's information as Karen came up behind her while Benny was being questioned. "Let's go." Karen said, gesturing toward the door with her chin. Joyce sighed and slowly made their way to find Jim who was leaning against his truck smoking a cigarette. Why couldn't anything ever be easy for them?

00000

It was a Tuesday, three weeks after Jim received his letter from Washington and days since the incident at the diner that Joyce embarrassed herself in front of the entire class. With carrying the weight of constant stress, she found it impossible to get proper sleep and every night ended exactly the same. Tears hitting her pillowcase while she forced herself to stay quiet and not wake the man curled up behind her until physical exhaustion set in.

Which is exactly what led to the moment she found herself screaming awake from a nightmare still sitting at her desk, not having a clue what was going on. One second she was listening to a lecture and the next she was watching as students startled and turned to stare at her like she'd lost her mind. Joyce had never fallen asleep in class before, and to say she wasn't utterly confused as she soaked in her surroundings was putting it lightly.

"Joyce, It's alright," Karen whispered from her side, her hand reaching out to touch her. The movement immediately made Joyce flinch, sending her to her feet.

"No...don't," Joyce mumbled, her fingers clutching her collar as she sucked in a few deep breaths. Students were still staring in her direction and she felt like the walls were closing in on her. The images of her nightmare playing over and over again in the forefront of her mind heightening her anxiety. "May I...can I be excused?" Joyce asked, her voice so low Karen wasn't sure anyone other than her would hear the small request.

The teacher surprisingly grabbed a pen from her desk and quickly scribbled something onto a piece of paper. "Miss Buono will you go with her?" She asked, holding out the paper for her to take.

"Of course," Karen said and quickly gathered her and Joyce's things before grabbing what Karen assumed was a note to excuse them from class.

Carefully leading Joyce out into the hall, Karen didn't take another step once the door was closed. "Joyce, look at me."

Joyce silently lifted her eyes, her expression unreadable.

"Are you okay?" She questioned, noticing her breathing was coming in short pants.

Joyce shook her head and tightened the hold she had on her collar, her knuckles turning white.

Karen had only seen Joyce like this one other time when Chrissy and Marissa cornered her in the locker room, and she didn't have a clue how to help her. All Karen remembered from the incident was Jim grabbing her face and talking her through it, but Karen knew Joyce didn't like to be touched, at least not by her, and especially not her face.

"Shit," Karen whispered and looked up and down the halls, trying to think of what she could do. Jim wasn't here and Joyce's fidgeting was making her nervous. "Hey, it's alright. I'm right here. Just breathe."

Joyce ignored her and began pacing, moving them across the hall where she pressed her back against a row of lockers. When Karen spoke again, Joyce squeezed her eyes shut and attempted to swallow down the lump of anxiety stuck in her throat.

"I need you to focus on me okay?" Karen said calmly, standing directly in front of her.

Joyce opened her eyes and let out a long shaky breath, her hand instinctively reaching out to grab the side of Karen's shirt near her hip.

Karen didn't move, afraid the slightest touch would startle her. "We're in school. You fell asleep in class and had a bad dream, that's all. Everything's fine. Just listen to my voice. You can hear me right?"

Joyce nodded, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the soft material at Karen's shirt.

"Good. Now breathe. There you go." She encouraged as she sucked in several deep breaths, exhaling slowly. It took a few minutes, but eventually, Joyce calmed, her breathing returning to normal.

"I'm sorry." Joyce choked out, a tremble shooting through her limbs. Karen carefully placed a hand over the one still holding onto her shirt and squeezed it gently.

"Don't apologize, it's okay." Karen took a risk and let go of Joyce's hand to wrap an arm around her, pulling her into a hug.

Joyce dropped her face to Karen's shoulder and hugged her back. "No, it's not." She whispered. "Nothing is okay. I'm not okay." Her voice broke on the last word, tears starting to prick at her eyes.

Karen frowned and brought her further into her embrace, a hand moving to the back of her head. She knew Joyce had been struggling for weeks now, she just hadn't been aware of how bad it had gotten, and she couldn't even begin to imagine what she was going through. To grow up in an abusive household, to being bullied daily, to finally getting what she had always wanted, just to have it all ripped away from her like some sick joke had to be devastating. Karen couldn't take away her pain or change the fact Jim had been drafted, but she could try her damnedest to be there for her when she was hurting and be the friend she deserved.

"Let's get out of here," Karen said as she let her go and reached down to grab their bags. She handed Joyce hers and placed a hand on her back, silently leading her out to the parking lot.

"You really should look into getting a spare key from Jim." Karen teased, trying to lighten the mood as they approached the old blue Chevy. Benny's truck was a few spaces away and Karen quickly tossed her bag into the back of his before dropping the tailgate on Jim's.

Joyce climbed up first, scooting all the way to the back of the bed to lean against the cab with her knees drawn to her chest. "Won't be an issue in a few months." Once Hopper was gone, he wouldn't have a need for his keys, or the truck anymore for that matter.

Karen sighed and slid in beside her friend to where their shoulders and hips were touching. "I take it the Chief wasn't able to work anything out?"

Joyce shook her head, crossing her arms over the top of her knees. "He's still trying, we all are. Jim's the only one giving up. He keeps telling us to stop making him look like a coward and just accept the fact that he's going." She huffed. "It wouldn't be so bad if there was a guarantee he'd come back, but there isn't, and it would kill me if something happened to him because I didn't try hard enough to keep him here. He's always been there to protect me, and now that it's my turn to protect him I'm already letting him down." Even as drained as she was, Joyce fought back the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. She could only pretend to be strong for so long before she fell apart.

"You're not letting him down, Joyce. And I know you probably don't want to hear this, but you might want to start focusing on spending as much time with him as you can. Just in case nothing can be figured out. You're going to hate yourself if you don't spend every second you can with him if something happens."

Karen's lowered voice showed the emotion she herself was trying to hold back. She was worried about Hopper, just as much as Benny, but her heart physically hurt for Joyce. She couldn't imagine how she would feel if Benny's number had been called and the thought alone was making her stomach knot. Reaching out, she carefully took Joyce's hand into her own and gave it a tight, reassuring squeeze.

"I'm here Joyce. Now, later, whenever you need a shoulder to cry on, or someone to help you eat your feelings. I'm your person. You come to me anytime, day or night okay?"

The wall that Joyce had carefully constructed around her emotions cracked the slightest, causing her to sharply intake a few breaths. She had to force herself to be strong no matter how tempting it was just to let the wall fall down. She gave Karen's hand a squeeze, hoping the gesture conveyed all she wanted to say but couldn't. The sound of approaching footsteps caused the girl's hands to separate, and seconds later both Hopper and Benny rounded the back of the Chevy.

Confusion crossed Hopper's face as he took in the sight of the two women sitting in the bed of his truck. "Everything okay Honey?"

"She had a nightmare in class. Freaked her out pretty bad, so we came out here for some air and just never went back." Karen stated, beginning to crawl toward Benny's stretched out hand.

"You fell asleep in class?" Worry lines formed on Hopper's brow as he walked around the bed of the truck, his hand immediately going to Joyce's shoulders. Taking the hint, Joyce stood, and with the help of her boyfriend, jumped off the side of the truck and into his waiting embrace.

"It was nothing. Just haven't been sleeping ya know?"

"I know Honey. Come on, let's get home and get our chores done. Maybe we can turn in early tonight and try to get a few extra hours."

Moving toward the passenger door, Hopper opened it for her to climb inside and shut it back before walking over to where Karen and Benny were waiting, talking between themselves.

"Thank you. For taking care of her when I wasn't there." Hopper pulled Karen into a quick hug.

"No problem Jim. It was bad though. She screamed in the middle of class and didn't realize where she was or what was going on. Took me a second to get her to leave with me. Please, if you can, try and get some sleep tonight. Both of you."

"I'm going to do my best to make sure she's asleep by eight. I'll talk to you two tomorrow." Hugging Karen again and shaking Benny's hand, Hopper closed the tailgate of his truck and put his own bag beside Joyce's before joining her inside the cab.

His door was barely closed when his lips connected with hers. Their kiss wasn't rushed or desperate. It was a show of the love Hopper felt for the women in his arms. Reluctantly he pulled away, his hand coming up to rest on the side of her neck.

"I love you."

00000

Sometime in the early morning hours, Joyce found herself unable to fall back asleep even after switching positions several times, readjusting the covers, and getting up for a glass of water. The new routine wasn't exactly unusual. At least it hadn't been for the last two weeks. The entire family was stressing over the fact none of them could find a way to keep Hopper home and Joyce was experiencing the worst of it. Two or three hours of good sleep was all she managed to get these days, while the rest of the night was filled with fear that the following morning would be the last time she'd see the man currently sleeping soundly beside her.

Finishing off the glass of water, Joyce placed the cup on the nightstand and leaned against the headboard with a sigh. Hopper was flat on his back with an arm slung over his pillow without a care in the world, and all Joyce wanted to do was hold him and never let go. His face was currently relaxed and peaceful, very different from the mask he wore during the day to hide his true feelings, and the only reason she continued to go along with the charade was because constantly apologizing for something out of their control and fighting wasn't helping either of them in the end. Not that Joyce was going to give up that easily in just letting someone take the love of her life away from her, they just needed a break from the chaos they had been living in since he received his letter.

Shifting to finally lay back down, Joyce rolled to face Hopper and carefully reached out to brush his bangs off his forehead. Her knuckles lightly drifted over his cheek, the stubble from weeks of neglect scratching against her skin as she watched his chest rise and fall with even breaths. He was her everything, her reason for living, and she desperately needed to feel something other than the weight sitting in the middle of her chest suffocating her.

Curling into Hopper's side, Joyce kissed his shoulder, then his collar bone, and the next thing she knew her fingertips were gently sliding down his ribs and across his abs, stopping at the waistband of his underwear. His breath hitched for a second and the hairs on his skin rose at the light touch, but he never awoke.

Continuing to lightly pepper his chest with kisses, she wiggled out of her panties and palmed the front of his boxers, feeling him already hard against her hand. Folding her fingers over the elastic of the thin material, she pulled his boxers down far enough to allow his erection to spring free and crawled on top of him. Her legs on either side of his hips, knees pressed into the bed to hold her up as she wrapped her hand around his length and guided him toward her entrance.

Joyce honestly had no clue what she was doing. She just needed to feel him, to have him as close to her as humanly possible, and with one slow drop of her hips she sank down on him, biting her lip to keep quiet as she watched Hopper's face twist and scrunch at the new sensation overtaking whatever peaceful sleep he'd been enduring.

His mouth fell open with a gasp when Joyce started moving on him, his hands coming to rest on her thighs, holding her in place once he became conscious. He blinked several times, bending his knees at the sight of her sitting on top of him. "Joyce…" He whimpered and swallowed, it took him a minute to understand what was happening.

"Shh, it's okay," Joyce whispered and leaned forward to kiss the hollow of his throat as she lifted her hips and sank back down on him again.

A helpless whine filled the room and Hopper's nails dug into her skin, halting her movements. "Honey...wait." He begged, his legs trembling at the overwhelming feeling of her warm inner walls engulfing him.

Joyce licked up his neck and kissed just below his ear, her chest pressed firmly against his as she kept still.

Removing a hand from her thigh, Hopper rubbed it across his face and let out a sigh. Waking to her straddling his hips would have normally been a fantasy of his, but the look on her face, even in the dim light, had him slightly worried. "What's going on?"

Joyce sighed and dropped her head, hiding her frown in the crook of his neck. "Please Jim...I just need you. I need to feel something other than all this pain." When she attempted to move on him again his grip eased some, allowing her to set a slow pace.

The tone of her voice grabbed at his heart like a vice and the quiet gasp that escaped his lips wasn't out of pleasure. They hadn't been physical like this since the night they found out he'd been drafted, which was partially his fault. He'd been so lost in his head lately that he'd missed all the signs telling him just how much she needed him.

Carefully placing his hands on her cheeks, he removed her head from his shoulder and stared into her eyes. "I love you." He breathed, his face falling at the sadness invading her features.

Without a word, Joyce leaned forward to claim his lips, kissing him with every bit of emotion she was currently feeling. The good, the bad, the pain, the emptiness, there was no more hiding, no more holding back.

When something hot and wet hit Hopper's face, he pulled away from the kiss and pressed his lips to the tears falling down her cheeks. Despite the obvious pain she was feeling, she still moaned when he rolled them over and thrust into her gently, his teeth teasing her lower lip before sucking it into his mouth.

Joyce hooked her ankles together around his lower back, lifting her hips with him in a way that made time stand still. Nothing was left but raw emotion, hurt mixing with pleasure, the only sound filling the quiet room their heavy breathing.

"Jim," Joyce whined when she felt that familiar band tighten in her belly, her fingers finding their way into his hair. Her body was running on a high that didn't make sense. She felt pleasure physically everywhere, all the way to her toes, and the ache in her chest only seemed to be intensifying the build-up of something she couldn't explain.

When Hopper dropped his head to kiss at her neck and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to bring them closer, Joyce felt the dam break. Her entire body shook, her inner walls pulsed, and her fingers pulled at his hair as her orgasm wracked through all of her senses.

Hopper growled and thrust a bit harder, failing miserably at holding back his own release. Quickly moving his thumb to her clit, he rubbed small circles against the sensitive bundle of nerves and slipped out of her, shooting thick white ropes of cum across her stomach and breasts. He was still stroking himself when sobs met his ears, her tiny body shaking beneath him as she pathetically reached for something to hold onto.

Out of instinct, Hopper pulled her into his arms and settled them into a sitting position with his back against the headboard. Unlike before when her sobs were brought on by intense pleasure, these were full of pain and it broke his heart.

"I love you...more than anything." Joyce sniffed. "I didn't know anything could hurt worse than what Travis did to me...but this...it's...I just can't."

Hopper placed a hand on her cheek and made her look at him before kissing her forehead. "I know Honey and I'm so fucking sorry."

Resting her head back on his shoulder, Hopper let her cry. There wasn't anything he could do to take away what she was feeling and it left him gutted. No one deserved to go through this, especially her.

When her body finally stopped trembling and her breathing became even, Hopper kissed her temple and brushed his fingers through her hair, pulling her head back enough to see her face. "Take a shower with me." He said softly, the stickiness between them growing cold and uncomfortable.

Joyce lifted her hand to touch his cheek, her thumb caressing along his jawline before giving him a quick kiss and crawling out of his lap.

Neither of them bothered with getting dressed as they made their way down the dark, quiet hallway and into the bathroom. It was still too early for their parents to be awake, the sun just barely starting to rise. Saturdays were meant for sleeping in, which meant Greg and Mary wouldn't stir until sometime after eight, giving them plenty of time together without being interrupted. Nothing had ever been said about them showering together, but with their strict rules of keeping the bedroom door open, they tried to make sure it only happened when their parents weren't home to avoid another embarrassing conversation.

"You coming?" Hopper asked as he pulled back the shower curtain, stirring Joyce from her thoughts. The water was already hot enough to create a fog on the mirror, making her wonder exactly how long she'd been standing there staring at the floor.

Moving on autopilot, Joyce stepped over the edge of the tub and sighed at the feel of Hopper's hands on her shoulders, backing her under the spray of the water. His fingers went to her hair, tilting her head to soak the strands while kissing lightly at her exposed neck.

The warmth of the water eased some of the tension in her muscles and his lips against her skin should have helped the ache in her chest, but there was still something just below the surface clawing and nagging like an irritated wound that wouldn't heal.

"Talk to me sweetheart," Hopper whispered as he soaped up their bodies to remove the mixture of cum and sweat that was still clinging to their skin. Joyce hadn't said a word since they left the bedroom and the expression on her face instantly alerted him to the inner battle she was having with herself.

"I'm scared." She admitted softly, her eyes falling shut.

"Honey I know you're scared, we all are, but I'll be back before you know it." Hopper comforted, pulling her against his chest.

Joyce shook her head and stepped out of his embrace, her nails biting into her palms. "You don't understand." She stated as she shifted her weight back and forth on each foot nervously, tears once again leaking down her cheeks. "I'm scared of myself…"

"What do you mean?" Hopper asked confused, watching her carefully as he reached up to turn the shower head away from them.

With a shaky exhale, Joyce frowned and wiped at her eyes to dry them unsuccessfully. She was giving everything she could to stay strong, not wanting him to feel worse for leaving. "I'm afraid of what I might do while you're gone...or if you don't come back." Swallowing down a sob, she paused for a moment to collect herself before continuing. "You're the only thing I've ever had that's made my life worth living, and without that…I don't know that I'll be okay." Her intentions weren't to make him feel guilty, or to make him feel sorry for her, she just needed someone to know she was legitimately terrified of what might happen to her well being if the darkness continued to overtake the thoughts in her head. It was already a struggle dealing with the added stress from everything, and her mind taking her to places she'd fought so hard to escape over the years wasn't helping support her self worth. She only managed to survive Travis for so long because of him. He was the spark of hope she needed to keep going, and without that, she wasn't sure she'd find the strength to make it out this time.

"Honey, no," Hopper said softly, his hand moving to touch her cheek so she'd look at him. "I need you to listen to me okay? There's so much more to this life than what I can give you. I know that's hard to believe since I'm the only thing you've had for so long, but trust me. If I don't make it back, you have to keep on living. If not for yourself, then for mom and dad. When you were sick and mom and I got into that fight, she was worried that if you had died the night Travis hurt you that she would lose me too. Imagine what that would do to our parents if they lost us both? They love you just as much as I do and it would absolutely devastate them."

Joyce leaned into his touch as he spoke, her hand moving to cover his still on her cheek. "How are you not scared?"

"Are you kidding me? I'm scared shitless. Do you honestly think I want to leave you and fight in this pointless war? I'm just tired of stressing over something we can't change and I want to enjoy the little bit of time we have left together without us arguing. I need you to be strong and keep it together so when I get back we can continue building the life we've always dreamed about." Removing his hand from her face, he quickly placed the shower head back to its original position and stepped under the water. "Besides, you waited seventeen years to let me love you, I know you're capable of waiting for one more to have me forever." Hopper half-smiled.

Letting out a huff, Joyce stepped to the side and watched as the water slowly rinsed away the soapy suds still covering their bodies. There was no telling how long he'd actually be gone, it could very well be longer than a year, but she didn't have the energy left to keep playing the same tune over and over. At this point, she felt like she was doing more damage to herself than actually making any progress in fixing their situation.

"I'm sorry," Joyce said softly as she pressed her chest against his to steal some of the water. "I keep making everything about me and my feelings and forgetting to make sure you're okay." He was the one getting shipped off to war where he didn't know a single person and tossed into a life without a definite future, yet she kept trying to blame him for wanting to leave like he was hurting her on purpose.

"You're allowed to be scared Honey," Hopper said as he reached around her to turn off the shower, his hands coming to rest on her hips. "What you're not allowed to do is talk like you won't be here waiting for me when I get back. I have to have at least one thing to fight for while I'm there or I won't make it. You give me strength in ways you can't even begin to understand, so please, don't give up on yourself."

Joyce forced herself to nod. If what he needed was for her to try and keep her faith that he was going to come home, then that's what she would do. A light smack to her ass brought her back to reality as Hopper stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist.

"I think mom deserves a break from making breakfast for once. What do you say? Keep me from burning the bacon"? Hopper gave Joyce his best smile as he held his hand out for her to keep her balance.

"Only if you drink orange juice instead of coffee."

"Deal."

00000

Mary's heart skipped a beat when she entered her kitchen Saturday morning. Whether it was from the adorable sight of Jim and Joyce attempting to make breakfast or the mess they had made trying, she didn't know.

"What's all this then?" She laughed as she made her way to the table, pulling out her chair and taking a seat.

"We thought it would be nice to give you a break from cooking." Jim smiled and moved to the coffee pot to pour his mother a cup, pancake batter smeared over the grey shirt he had thrown on that morning. Handing Mary the bitter drink, he placed a kiss on her cheek and returned to Joyce's side to take in the situation in front of him. Grabbing the spatula to his right, he began flipping pancakes just as Greg entered the kitchen.

"Did I just walk into someone else's house? Who are these teenagers, and how do they know how to cook?"

"Ha ha, very funny dad." Hopper mocked, moving the now crispy bacon onto a plate and taking it to the table.

"I'm just saying son, I never see you even attempt to cook. The last time was on our anniversary and that was months ago." Greg teased.

"I never think about it because mom always does it."

"And it was an amazing gesture, Honey. I woke up smelling bacon and honestly got concerned for a second though."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence there mom." Hopper playfully rolled his eyes.

Mary giggled and took a sip of her coffee after adding a spoonful of sugar.

Joyce grabbed the plate of pancakes and set it down on the table before taking her seat to the left of Mary.

"What made you two get up so early anyway?" Greg wondered aloud as he poured syrup over his entire plate of food.

"Neither of us could sleep. Figured we may as well get up and do something nice." Hopper confided as he waited for his turn with the maple syrup.

A comfortable silence overtook the kitchen as they stuffed their faces, the only care in the world being who would get the last piece of bacon. Greg won like always and once he crammed the piece in his mouth, he wiped his hands with a napkin and leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"You two have any plans for today?"

Joyce shrugged, tossing her napkin onto her now empty plate. "Was there anything you needed us to do?"

"Not at all Darlin'. Your mother and I were probably going to head into town later to look at a young colt a family was thinking of selling. Didn't know if either of you had any interest in joining us?" He chuckled.

"That's gonna be a no from me dad." Hopper laughed and grabbed his plate, moving to stand. "We'll probably just go to the tree house and hang out for a while."

"I'm with Jim on this one." Joyce grinned and started collecting dishes from the table to place in the sink. While everything seemed warm and comforting on the outside, Joyce was still suffering from the thoughts that had been plaguing her mind all morning, and she really hoped the time spent with Hopper at the tree house would take away some of the pain she was still feeling.

00000

"Earth to Jim." Joyce called, startling Hopper as she waved her hand in front of his face. How long had she been speaking to him? "Can we please go over the options and why they won't work one more time? I promise I won't bring it up again, I just…. I don't want you to go."

"What's there to talk about? My number was drawn and I have to go. There's nothing I can do about it. Will you please just try to enjoy being with me while we're still together?" Hopper sighed, not wanting to meet her eyes, knowing she was trying her best not to cry. She cried all the time now it seemed, even right then, and he could practically feel her forcing back her emotions.

"There has to be something we can do Jim, I can't just let you go to war not knowing where you are or if you're okay, it's going to break me, Hop. I can't do it. I need you here with me. Your parents need you here. We have to figure something out."

Hopper leaned his head back, needing a second to breathe. "Joyce, there is literally nothing I can do. I am physically fit, have a clean bill of health and my dad's still alive, so there would be someone to carry on the Hopper bloodline. We're not married, we don't have any children and that's all they care about. There's nothing we can do. Nothing dad has been able to do. So please Honey, just come sit with me and let me hold you while I can." Hopper's voice cracked on the last sentence, those words harder to get out than he ever thought possible. Being away from her was going to be the most difficult thing he would have to do in his life and he prayed he would be able to make it back to her. To eventually have those things they both wanted.

"Are you even listening to me!" Joyce practically screamed, the smile on her face seeming odd for the weight of their current conversation. Joyce growled in frustration when she realized he had once again zoned out on her. Stomping her foot like a child, she stormed over to him before placing a thigh on either side of his legs, her hands quickly moving to cup his face, the five o clock shadow he sported stinging her palms. "You did it, Hop! You figured out how to stay home!" Joyce shrieked before crashing her lips to his.

"Wait, wait, Joy, what are you talking about?" He questioned, not entirely sure what he figured out.

"Marrying me. Marry me and you won't be able to be drafted anymore! You'll have a dependent and they can't take you." Joyce said with glee. It wasn't until she noticed the look on his face that her glee suddenly turned to worry. "Hop, what's wrong? We figured it out, you won't be leaving now."

"Joyce. I love you with all my being. You are literally the other half of my soul..." Joyce leaned back from him, her hands falling from his face to his chest.

"But?" She asked hesitantly.

"Honey, I want to marry you because I love you and because we decided on it together. Not so I can keep from being drafted. I don't want to be known as one of those draft dodgers who did whatever was in their grasps to stay home. If I'm called to defend my country, my home, to protect you, I will do what is asked of me."

Those words hung between them in silence, a pin could drop in their tree house and it would ring out like a shotgun.

"You don't want to marry me?" Joyce whispered, the hurt in her voice unmistakable.

"Not if the only reason we're doing it now is to keep me from going to Vietnam."

Hopper's hands slid down to rest on her hips, his thumbs trying to rub soothing circles into her skin, but she had moved from his lap before any contact was actually made. Without a word, she crossed the tree house and opened the hatch.

"Where are you going? Honey, please stop and talk to me." Hopper pleaded when he realized his mistake.

Joyce held her hand up, requesting that he not take a step closer. "I'm sorry that if the choice comes between marrying me or going to Vietnam, that you would pick going to fucking war. Do I really repulse you that much Jim? That you would rather be in a jungle, thousands of miles away, fighting for your life, then being home in Hawkins with me?" The tears she'd held back for so long were now flowing freely down her cheeks.

"That's not what I meant and you know-" Before he could finish his sentence, she was climbing down the ladder. "Joyce, I want to marry you, but not just so I won't be drafted, that's a coward's way out." He called, dropping to his knees to carelessly hang his upper half out of the hatch. He knew she heard his pleas, but she chose to ignore them as she ran through the knee-high grass and toward the house without giving him a second glance.

00000

Sniffling and scrubbing could instantly be heard when Mary climbed the steps to the second level of their house. She found herself leaning against the door frame of the bathroom, the sight of Joyce armed with elbow-length gloves scrubbing viciously at the base of the shower greeting her.

"Looks like my stress relief technique has found its way over to you." Mary laughed lightly as she watched her daughter take her frustration out on the ceramic shower floor. When Joyce didn't acknowledge her presence, Mary walked into the small bathroom and took a seat on the already sparkling toilet.

"Want to talk about it?" She asked, knowing Joyce wouldn't want to be touched right now. Her question was answered with more silence and Mary knew that Joyce heard every word that she spoke, but she was having a hard time processing what was bothering her. Given the news Jim received about Greg being unable to find any loopholes in his draft, she had a hunch what it was. Ever the patient parent, Mary waited for her to speak first. What seemed like an entire bottle of cleaner later Joyce finally took a deep breath and sat on the now pristine floor, her back against the tub.

"I've tried and tried to think of everything possible to keep him from leaving. Dad also did everything he could and the only option I came up with that would actually work he practically refused. I'm lost and don't know what to do."

The thought of Jim refusing anything Joyce was able to figure out baffled Mary, because she knew her son would do anything for her, so why the refusal?

"What did you suggest he do Honey?" Mary wondered aloud.

"I told him we should get married. Then I would be a dependent and they wouldn't take him, and he just…refused. We had plans to do it eventually anyway, but he said he wanted to marry me because we were ready for it, not to keep him home." Joyce choked out. Home. This house would not be a home to her if Jim never made it back and Mary knew it. That's why she chose her next words carefully.

"Joyce, I know you want to do whatever it takes to keep him here, we all do. But I have to agree with Jim on this one. He wouldn't be able to go through with it if he knew the reason behind it was anything more then him loving you."

For once in her life, Joyce didn't think that Mary understood her pain. Hopper was the only reason she had made it this far in life. He was her everything, the reason she continued to breathe and if he was gone, Joyce wouldn't know what she would do. The fact that Mary agreed with Jim made what spark Joyce had left slow fade out, like rain on a field fire. Shakily, she stood, taking her gloves as she went. She couldn't be around anyone right now. None of them understood the desperation she was feeling.

"Honey I didn't mean to upset you, I just-"

Mary's words went ignored as Joyce deposited the gloves in the bathroom sink and walked calmly down the hallway, defeat weighing heavily on her shoulders. Grabbing a pillow and a thin blanket out of the hall closet, Joyce carefully tucked the materials under her arm and pushed the screen door to the porch open. Glancing around the front of the house, she silently crawled into the bed of Hopper's truck. Throwing the pillow toward the cab, she tightly wrapped herself up in the blanket and hunkered down against the cold metal of the old blue Chevy..

The stars littering the sky above her were the only things that saw the silent tears stream down her cheeks as she cried. She cried for Hopper, she cried for herself, and for their future that may be quickly coming to an end.


	32. Chapter 32

"What's this for?" Benny asked, looking down at the bandana Jim paced in his hand.

"For you to cover your eyes with," Hopper stated, also handing one to Karen who raised her brow in Joyce's direction for answers. "Did you really think my dad would let us drink in the house? I'm lucky he didn't kick my ass when I came home high a few weeks ago. I'm not gonna risk him smelling your pot or catching us drinking in the barn."

"That still doesn't explain why you don't want me or Karen to see anything," Benny commented as he grabbed his overnight bag from the back of his truck and flung it over his shoulder.

"Joyce and I have a place we can go where no one will bother us, but it has to stay a secret. Only four people know how to get there and I plan to keep it that way." Hopper insisted and took the alcohol Karen was holding to put inside his and Joyce's bag.

"You guys wanted to do something fun tonight and both of your parents said they didn't want anyone over. Just trust us." Joyce chimed in, nudging Karen's shoulder with her elbow.

Benny sighed and rolled his eyes, finally lifting the makeshift blindfold to his face and tying the material behind his head. "Happy?"

"I swear if this is some kind of prank…" Karen huffed, following Benny's lead and covering her eyes.

Hopper grinned and checked both of their bandanas to make sure they couldn't see before grabbing Benny's hand and resting it on his shoulder. "It's about a fifteen-minute walk from here. Just go slow and hold onto me so you don't trip."

"Why do I feel like this is the start of a really shitty horror movie?" Benny grumbled and took a few steps forward when he felt Jim start moving.

Joyce giggled and took Karen's hand in hers, following in behind the boys. There was still a little piece of her that wanted to keep the tree house a secret forever, but it was also somewhat exciting to share this with people she trusted, with people she called her friends. Friends were something she never expected to have, and doing this felt like another way for her to open up to the people that cared about her.

"Ow! What the hell Joyce? You're supposed to be making sure I don't get hurt and you're leading me through a field of razor blades." Karen whined when some briars raked across her legs.

"We have two strong men in front of us, blame them for not making sure the path is clear."

"Do I need to remind you that I can't see a fucking thing?" Benny said and blindly reached out behind him for Karen to make sure she was alright.

Joyce smacked his hand away playfully and pushed on his back to keep him moving. "It's just briars, Benny, it's not like she's bleeding out and you'll never see her again."

Hopper chuckled and shook his head, stopping to make sure Benny and Karen made it safely over a branch that had fallen on the trail once they entered the woods.

"Are we even close?" Karen asked, her fingers tightening around Joyce's hand when she forced her to take a sharp left. Silence followed her question for a few more steps until she slammed into someone's back who had paused in front of her.

"Alright, you can take the blindfolds off now," Hopper said as he approached the base of the old oak tree.

"Fucking finally," Benny growled and pulled the blindfold down so it hung around his neck, his eyes instantly going wide at his surroundings.

"Look at my leg!" Karen cried and quickly dabbed at the blood on her shin with the bandana, ignoring everyone else who was walking toward the ladder of the tree house.

Joyce turned around and went back to her, lightly tugging on her sleeve. "Come on, we'll take care of that when we get up there. I have a first aid kit inside."

"Up where?" Karen asked with a huff and finally lifted her head to see the tree house a short distance away. "Whoa."

"Do you see this babe? Hurry up!" Benny called from his spot beside Hopper who was grinning at the childish look on his friend's face. He never knew their hideaway could be this exciting to someone else.

"Is this thing safe?" Karen asked as she approached Benny and looked up at the tree she was about to climb.

"Yes, it's safe. We were just out here yesterday to drop off some things and a few months ago Jim replaced part of the ladder that broke." Joyce said before stepping in front of Karen and starting her ascend up the tree. She stopped when she reached the hatch and dug a key out of her pocket to open the lock. When she lifted herself inside, she reached through the open hole in the floor and grabbed a bag Hopper handed her, quickly tossing it into the corner of the small room.

Once everyone was inside, Joyce took a step back and plopped down onto the couch as Hopper closed the hatch and placed the bag of alcohol on the table by the window.

"Oh my god, look how young you two were!" Karen gushed, eyeing the years of Polaroids across the wall. Benny joined her and wrapped his arm around her lower back, his hand resting on her hip.

Hopper flicked his eyes in Joyce's direction, smiling at the pink tint rushing to her cheeks as their friends got a glimpse of a life not many people knew about. As calm as she seemed, Hopper knew this was a big step for her. She was extremely private, and while the pictures on the wall showed the two of them smiling and laughing, he wouldn't forget all the horrors that had taken place in this very room and knew she wouldn't either. Thankfully neither Karen nor Benny asked about the recently burned photo on the last row as they parted and Karen joined Joyce on the couch.

"Guys this is fucking awesome," Benny said with a grin, moving to sit on an upside-down wooden crate that was meant to be used as a chair. He leaned back against the wall and rested his elbow on the table, still taking in the numerous shelves and random objects around him. "I'm guessing the Chief had something to do with this?"

Hopper gave him a nod and crossed the room to sit on a small stool opposite of Benny. "He did most of the work, but my mom, me, and Joyce also helped."

"You got it made out here." Karen smiled, turning slightly to cross her legs Indian style on the cushions of the couch.

"Yeah, it's been like a second home to me for a few years now," Joyce admitted as she kicked off her shoes.

Karen frowned and quickly wrapped her arms around Joyce's neck, pulling her into a tight hug.

"A few years? How long has this thing been up here?" Benny asked curiously, pulling his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

"Um...like four or five years I think?" Hopper said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Well, I for one think it's wonderful. Jim, your parents are saints." Karen laughed, getting a light chuckle from the others as well.

An idea suddenly hit Joyce and she carefully wiggled her way out of Karen's hold to stand. She kicked her shoes to the side as she walked over to one of the shelves, picking up her Polaroid camera. "Alright, boys, on the couch." She demanded playfully.

Benny raised his brow and looked over to Hopper before getting to his feet. "So bossy." He teased and dropped down beside Karen, his arm instantly going around her shoulders.

Hopper already knew what Joyce was planning and took her hand in his, pulling her into his lap as he got comfortable beside Benny. He plucked the camera from her and extended his arm, leaning in closer to their friends. He gathered their attention and snapped a photo of them all smiling. When Joyce took the ejected picture, she whispered in Hopper's ear and watched as his arm rose once more. Quickly turning in his lap, she reached behind Benny and placed her hand over Karen's eyes, not expecting Hopper to follow her and lick his tongue up the side of her cheek as a flash filled the room.

"Ew!" Joyce whined with a laugh, Hopper's hold on her waist tightening when she started falling into the gap between Benny's back and the couch. Pushing on his shoulders to wipe off her cheek, Joyce snagged the second photo and got up to place them on the wall with the hundreds of others.

"Are you planning to keep all of those up here forever?" Karen questioned as she swung her legs over Benny's thighs, her back resting against the arm of the couch.

Hopper spoke before Joyce had a chance to respond. "Might as well. I'd like to think our kids would enjoy this place as much as we have once they're old enough."

Joyce paused mid-step on her way back to them and stared at Hopper in awe, a heat stirring in her chest at his comment.

"I'm honestly surprised you don't already have any kids. I know damn good and well that's exactly what this couch is being used for." Karen gasped at Benny's joke and slapped his shoulder to shush him. Leave it to him and his mouth to ruin a sweet moment.

Hopper glared and grabbed Benny in a headlock, wrestling him to the floor by Joyce's feet and putting him in one of the many holds she'd seen the team use during practice. "You're just jealous that our parents trust us and give us privacy."

Benny laughed and struggled against Hopper's tight grip around his neck. "Of course I'm jealous." He grunted, grabbing his wrist and turning his body to gain the upper hand. "You two can do whatever you want up here."

"Well maybe if you and Karen didn't get caught in your bedroom together, you'd still have some privacy." Hopper chuckled and finally let go of him to catch his breath. Wrestling had been finished for a few months now and he'd forgotten how much energy it required to pull off even some of the most basic moves. "Fuck I'm out of shape." He huffed, spreading out on his back in the middle of the floor as Benny scooted to lean against the wall by the door leading to the balcony.

"How the hell can you possibly be out of shape living on a farm?" Benny asked, swiping a bead of sweat from his brow.

Something small suddenly hit Hopper's chest with a thud, causing him to startle. When he looked down, he saw his pack of cigarettes staring back at him. "That right there is exactly why you can't breathe." Joyce giggled from her spot on the couch.

"Not my fault you're all a bunch of babies and can't handle a real cigarette." Hopper quipped, his fingers wrapping around the small box.

"Says the guy who almost coughed up a lung the first time he smoked pot." Benny grinned, kicking the bottom of Hopper's boot as a pack of unfiltered camels came flying past his head.

Karen giggled at the boy's banter and climbed over Joyce to grab the bottle of whiskey she'd stolen from her dad's liquor cabinet.

"Are you sure he's not going to notice it's missing?" Joyce asked quietly, unable to hold back the uneasiness she felt at Karen possibly getting in trouble.

"Unlike Benny's parents who freak out when he goes to the bathroom alone, my parents are too busy with work to notice I'm even home most days. This isn't even on their radar." Karen smirked, placing her palm around the cap of the unopened bottle.

"Hey!" Benny snapped, jumping to his feet. "My parents aren't that up my ass, geez."

"Sure they aren't." Hopper joined in. "That's exactly why your parents won't let Karen come over anymore." He teased and willed his body to stand as well, his joints cracking with the effort.

Benny scoffed and motioned for Karen to slide over as he took the bottle from her. "She only got away with taking this because her dad has more alcohol than any one person needs. You've seen her parties."

Joyce sat quietly and bit her tongue as the others talked among themselves. She was the only one out of their group who had never attended the biggest end of school party in Hawkins and had no idea how to contribute to the conversation. She'd heard stories throughout the years, but this would be the first time she'd be able to go and the thought made her queasy. Everyone from their school went and there were several faces she wasn't exactly excited to see again.

Hopper placed his hands on her hips and adjusted her back into his lap, stirring her from her thoughts just in time to see Benny take a long swig from the bottle of whiskey, his eyes scrunching at the burn flowing down his throat.

"Will Chrissy and Marissa be there?...the party I mean?" Joyce asked and Hopper's grip around her waist tightened.

Karen looked across the couch at her and handed the bottle of alcohol to Jim. "More than likely, it's usually an open invitation." She admitted, lightly touching Joyce's leg. "Don't worry though. They'd be stupid to try anything there."

Joyce nodded and took her turn with the whiskey when it was shoved into her hand. They talked about the party, prom, college, and their future while slowly working toward a nice buzz, or as Benny was trying to achieve, getting completely shitfaced.

"Do you guys have any cards up here?" He asked, stumbling to his feet to search the shelf closest to the couch.

"Should be some over there." Hopper pointed across the room. "What do you feel like playing?"

"Strip poker!" Karen joked as she slammed the almost empty bottle down onto the floor between her feet.

Hopper frowned when everyone else agreed to play. "Absolutely not." He growled.

Joyce shifted in his lap to look at him with a smirk. "Afraid you'll lose?"

"No..." He said, surprised at her accusation. "I just don't particularly want anyone seeing you naked."

Joyce gasped in faux pain, shoving herself away from his chest. "And what exactly makes you think I'll be the one losing?" She challenged with her brow raised.

Hopper sighed and tried to pull her back against him. "That's not what I mea-"

"Come on Jim, stop being a party pooper," Benny said, tossing the deck of cards to Karen.

Hopper scowled at Benny and carefully moved Joyce out of his lap before grabbing his pack of cigarettes and disappearing outside onto the balcony.

Benny held out his hands in confusion, looking over at the women still on the couch for answers. They both shrugged their shoulders.

"Fuck…" Benny whispered and scratched at the back of his head.

Joyce glanced at the window and saw Hopper leaning against the railing, staring off into the woods as he exhaled a lungful of smoke. She wasn't exactly sure what happened but knew Benny should be the one to go talk to him. Remembering Karen's bleeding leg from earlier, she made up an excuse to focus on her and gestured for Benny to go outside and talk to his friend.

Swiping up the bottle of whiskey on his way, Benny hung his head slightly and stepped through the doorway, shutting it behind him.

Hopper looked up from where he was standing and stubbed out his cigarette on the railing. "I'm sorry...I don't know what's wrong with me."

Benny took a step closer. "You don't have to explain anything." He offered with a small smile and held out the alcohol for him to take. "I could use some fresh air anyway." Letting the bottle go, Benny lowered himself to sit and leaned back against the side of the tree house.

"What about the girls?" Hopper asked as he joined Benny on the balcony floor, already unscrewing the cap to the amber liquid.

Benny dug into his pocket and pulled out a small felt bag. "Joyce wanted to look at Karen's leg, and I think they said something about painting each other's nails." As soon as he finished his sentence the radio from inside came on and giggles drifted out through the cracked window. Benny rolled his eyes and emptied the bag onto his lap. "See? No ones mad, so lighten up." He chuckled and elbowed his arm.

Hopper allowed a smile to form on his lips and took a long swig from the bottle. His emotions had been all over the place lately and he was grateful he hadn't upset anyone. The alcohol was at least starting to warm his insides and make his head swim, helping him relax.

"Want some?" Benny asked after taking a hit off his joint.

Hopper shook his head. He had no idea what mixing the two substances would do and he didn't exactly want to feel like shit later. "I'll stick to this." He said, swishing the little bit of liquid around in the glass.

"Suit yourself." Benny teased and shifted to get comfortable as he arched his chin to blow smoke above them.

Avoiding any mentions of the draft, the two of them made small talk until Benny was giggling almost as bad as the girls they could still faintly hear inside. Hopper had fallen into a similar state and was a lot drunker than he remembered feeling ten minutes ago.

Benny struggled to pull himself up from the floor, having stretched out across the balcony once his joint was completely gone. He peeked through the window at the girls before scooting closer to Jim like he didn't want anyone to hear what he was about to say.

"Can I ask you something kind of personal?" He questioned softly.

Hopper shrugged and dropped his head back against the wall, his legs stretched out through the bars of the railing. "I suppose."

"Does Joyce let you go down on her?"

A laugh escaped Hopper's lips and he turned to face Benny, his eyes hooded and red from the whiskey. "Are you only asking me this because Karen won't let you?"

Benny pulled a knee toward his chest and wrapped an arm around his shin. "Maybe."

"Sucks for you." Hopper grinned and brushed a hand over his face in an attempt to clear his vision.

"Come on man, this is serious." Benny smiled and lit a cigarette. "What's it like?"

Hopper leaned forward, his brows furrowed. "You mean to tell me after all the girls you were with before Karen, you never got a taste?"

Benny tried to hide his blush behind his cigarette. "And how many girls were you with before you got laid?"

Hopper opened his mouth to speak but laughed instead. "Good point." Reaching out to take the offered smoke from Benny, he scratched at the stubble on his chin. "I can't speak for other girls, but everything about Joyce is amazing. I'd suck her toes if she asked me to."

"Ew." Benny chuckled, taking the cigarette back.

Hopper shook his head. "You have no idea. Something about a girl moving on your face and pulling your hair, begging you to do anything to send her over the edge does things to a man you can't even begin to imagine." Just remembering the way Joyce would shake and moan right before she came had him straining against his jeans. If he hadn't been drunk, he may have been embarrassed when he adjusted himself in front of Benny and got to his feet, the need to see his girlfriend far greater than continuing this conversation.

"Easy," Benny said when Hopper lost his footing and had to grab the railing to steady himself.

Wrapping an arm around Benny's shoulder, Hopper carefully made his way inside with his assistance but stopped just as he stepped over the threshold. He wasn't exactly sure how long the two of them had been outside, but the sun was setting and the girls had already folded out the couch bed and set up the air mattress.

"Finally realize you missed me?" Joyce teased from her spot on the bed where she and Karen were playing cards, all of their nails freshly painted.

Hopper grinned and let go of Benny to clumsily crawl across the bed and over to Joyce. "You're so beautiful." He said, a hand coming up to caress her cheek before giving her a sloppy kiss.

Joyce giggled and lightly pushed on his chest, the taste of whiskey still lingering on his tongue.

"What were the two of you out there doing for so long?" Karen asked from the foot of the bed where she was sitting, a few cards still clutched between her fingers.

"Talking, smoking, you know." Benny shrugged and kicked off his boots.

"Uh-huh...Then explain to me why Jim suddenly has a hard-on and is undressing Joyce right in front of us?" Karen asked.

"Hop!" Joyce squealed and grabbed a hold of his wrist when he pulled her shirt up her body. "Stop, what are you doing?"

"Don't hide." He slurred and wiggled a hand free to snake up her side and over her ribs. "I want you." His lips lightly touched her ear and the sensation mixed with his voice caused her to shiver.

Joyce swallowed and grabbed his wrist again. "Honey we have company, we-"

"Please." He begged and before she had a chance to think, he was pushing her back onto the sheets and settling between her legs, thrusting against her.

Joyce bit her lip to keep from moaning and thread her fingers into his hair, tugging on the strands hard enough to make him wince and still his mouth at the crook of her neck. She shot Karen and Benny a silent apology as she maneuvered out from underneath him and got to her knees, his head between her hands.

"Jim, look at me." She demanded, her eyes locking on his hazy ones trying to focus on her. "I love you, Honey, more than anything, but we can't do this right now. Karen and Benny didn't come out here with us to get a free show." She joked, her fingers stroking over his scalp to soothe where she had gripped him moments before.

Hopper's eyes fluttered closed and he whined like a defeated child. "But I need you." He whispered, his nails digging into the skin at her hips.

"How about you sip on this for the rest of the night Jim?" Benny suggested and held out a bottle of water, interrupting them when he noticed Joyce's struggle.

Hopper sighed as if he finally realized he was embarrassing himself and dropped his forehead to Joyce's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Joyce kissed the side of his head and shifted them to where they were both sitting, his larger frame leaning against her. She took the bottle of water and opened it for him.

Karen looked over at Benny curiously once the room fell quiet and started picking up the cards. "I'm going to ask you again, what in the hell were the two of you out there doing?"

"I already told you. We were just talking." Benny said as he settled onto the air mattress, watching as she packed the cards away and stood from the bed.

"About what?"

"Guy stuff." Hopper chuckled from his spot beside Joyce, water dripping from his mouth and onto his shirt.

Joyce rolled her eyes and took the empty bottle from him, tossing it into the small trash can in the corner as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Did anyone happen to bring food?" Benny asked, his bloodshot eyes looking around the room. A cooler slid across the floor and stopped within a few inches of his foot.

"Mom always goes a little overboard when we come out here. Eat whatever you want." Joyce offered and settled back against Hopper's chest, his arms wrapping around her waist. His lips instantly found their way to her neck, pressing light kisses over her skin and making her shiver.

"Mrs. Hopper has definitely outdone herself this time." Benny grinned as he dug through the various snacks within the cooler, fighting off Karen for a bag of chips.

Joyce shut her eyes and bit her lip to hold back a moan when Hopper suddenly sucked at the sensitive spot behind her ear. One of his hands had found its way to her hip, gripping her hard and pulling the lower half of her body against him, his erection digging into her back. His other hand was carefully brushing her hair to the side, allowing him better access to touch her.

His fingertips lightly drifted up her neck, caressing her jaw before turning her head to press his lips to hers. He eagerly slipped his tongue into her mouth and kissed her slowly. The hand on her hip shifted lower until it was between her legs, his fingers pressing firmly against an ache that had been building since the first time she had stopped him.

Joyce gasped and quickly reached down to wrap her hand around his arm, pulling him away from her. "Hop-" Her words were cut short when he threaded his fingers into her hair and shoved his tongue back into her mouth, a moan of his own getting lost in his throat.

Somehow Joyce ended up on her back with him over top of her again, still kissing at every bit of exposed skin he could reach. Turning her head to the side, Joyce was able to create some distance between them and sat up. She knew he wouldn't hurt her, or do anything she didn't want him to, she just needed him to understand that they weren't alone.

The tree house had always been private. A place they could go to be alone. A place to share secrets and feelings with one another without being interrupted. Between the alcohol in Hopper's system and the fact, his subconscious made him think this was perfectly normal, Joyce had to find a way to keep him focused on their friends and not her, or else things could get extremely awkward.

"I love you." He whispered into the crook of her neck and Joyce finally grabbed his face.

"I love you too Honey, but you have to stop, okay?"

Hopper's face fell at her words. "Why?" He asked, his hips moving against hers.

Carefully turning his head in the direction of Karen and Benny trying to catch food in their mouths, Joyce leaned closer to his ear. "Because our friends are here."

Hopper sighed and closed his eyes, dropping his head to rest on her chest. "I forgot…" He shifted his weight to where his hips were pressed against the bed instead of her and wrapped an arm around the part of her back that wasn't touching the couch cushions. "Can I just lay here and hold you?"

Joyce smiled and kissed the top of his head, her hand rubbing down his back. "As long as you behave." She teased and jumped when a skittle hit her shoulder. Her eyes darted across the room to find Karen giggling and shot her a playful glare.

"You guys wanna play a game or something?" Karen asked, stuffing a chip into her mouth.

"I'm still fine with playing poker...normal poker." Joyce laughed and shifted to sit up a little more, Hopper's weight on her not making the task easy. "Can you hand me another water first?" She asked and reached out the best she could to take the offered drink from Karen. "Thanks."

After unscrewing the cap, she gave the bottle to Hopper and waited for Benny and Karen to join them on the bed, creating a circle the best they could to play the game.

Darkness quickly filled the small room after a few hands and Hopper finally sobered up enough to join them, allowing Joyce to move and stretch out once he lifted off of her. When he stood to light the lantern he swayed slightly and Joyce really hoped he wouldn't feel like shit in the morning.

"You going to sleep already?" Benny asked as he took a card from the top of the deck and watched Jim walk over to his bag.

"Not yet, just getting comfortable." He said and grabbed a pair of gym shorts, his head still a little fuzzy. He dropped his jeans to the floor and slid on the shorts, not caring if anyone saw his boxers. Before coming back to the bed, he grabbed a snack from the cooler and returned to his previous spot beside Joyce. Instead of being all over her, he sat with his back against the couch and curled his legs toward him Indian style as he munched on a snack cake.

He stayed quiet and watched the three of them play a new card game, not wanting to join in as he tried to remember every little detail about this moment. From the sounds of laughter around him to the smile on Joyce's face, he soaked it all in. Once he was gone this feeling of warmth and safety would become foreign. He'd be alone and cold, in constant fear, and there wouldn't be laughter to calm his nerves or a soothing touch to keep him grounded.

"You okay?" Joyce asked, obviously sensing his mood. He felt her hand give his knee a reassuring squeeze and he turned to face her with a nod.

"Just thinking." He said with a forced smile that made Joyce's brows furrow. He shook his head and pulled her to him, kissing her temple. "I'm fine Honey, just tired."

"We can lay down if you want." She offered, giving Benny and Karen a look. "No one has to go to sleep or anything, but we can move if you want the room to get comfortable."

Hopper didn't want to ruin their fun, but he really was exhausted.

Benny straightened and started gathering the cards. "That's fine with me." He said and glanced at his watch. "It's already after midnight anyway."

Hopper lifted his shirt over his head and pulled back the sheet to lay while everyone else settled down for the night.

He must have nodded off at some point or another. Because the shock of Joyce's freezing feet brushing against his calves woke him abruptly.

"Shh, it's just me Hop." She soothed and curled as close to him as humanly possible. His arms instinctively wrapped around her, needing her close. When he once again found a comfortable position he let out a content sigh.

"I'm not going to be able to sleep without you beside me," Joyce whispered, not wanting Karen or Benny to hear what was probably one of their more intimate conversations.

"I know Honey. I won't be able to sleep either, but if by some miracle I can catch a few hours here and there, I'll be dreaming of holding you just like this. In the safety of our tree house, and I know deep in my heart that you'll be doing the same."

He heard Joyce's sharp intake of breath and knew she was trying her best not to cry.

"For now though, I'm right here Joyce. I'm all yours. So please, try to rest." Hopper placed a kiss to the top of her head and felt her relax further into his embrace. He fought sleep relentlessly until her breathing became even and her heartbeat matched his own.

00000

As if on queue, Hopper woke to something uncomfortable hitting his back and scrunched his face in irritation. With a groan, he blinked a few times to clear his vision and rolled over to find Joyce twitching in her sleep.

Her strange dreams and nightmares had subsided dramatically once her migraines had disappeared, but with her most recent visit to Brenner less than a week ago, they had returned every night since. He should have been happy Brenner declared her migraine free and had taken her off her medication. However, waking every night like clockwork because of her nightmares was only adding to his sleep deprivation and doing nothing to ease his constant stress.

Carefully wrapping his arm around Joyce's waist, he leaned in close and kissed the side of her head, finding it damp with sweat. "It's ok sweetheart, I'm here." He whispered, trying to soothe her awake.

She continued to twitch, her breathing becoming labored as she attempted to move away from his touch.

"Joyce, wake up Honey, it's just a dream." His thumb gently rubbed against the exposed skin near her hip and pulled her back against his chest, caging her in as gently as he could to make sure neither of them got hurt.

"No...No, please." She cried, fighting against his hold. "Hop don't...stop"

Hopper tensed, his eyes darting to her face. He shook her lightly and was about to speak again when he felt a hand on his forearm. He startled and turned to find Karen standing beside the bed.

"What are you doing?" She asked with concern.

"She's having a nightmare." He said quickly, wanting her to know this wasn't what it looked like.

"I...I don't know." Joyce suddenly blurted out and moved against him.

Hopper tightened his hold and shook her again, harder this time. "Joyce." He said in a more stern tone, his deep baritone filling the room.

Joyce kicked and opened her eyes, taking a second to gather her bearings before jerking away from him violently.

Hopper withdrew his arms as if he'd been burned. "Honey it's me, I'm not going to hurt you."

Even in the darkness he could see tears running down her cheeks and out of instinct he reached for her. She immediately flinched, her entire body going rigid.

"Joy-" Hopper stuttered, his words getting caught in his throat when she stumbled off the bed and darted for the door to the balcony, leaving him sitting there stunned and confused. She had never been afraid of him like this after a nightmare and he felt lost. He understood her mind needed a second to detach from the dream to focus back on reality, but she had always allowed him to comfort her afterward.

"Is this normal?" Karen asked through the silence, making his gut drop.

"No." He said and clenched his jaw, a feeling of shame washing over him at what she was probably thinking.

As if Karen had read his mind, she reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know you would never hurt her Jim. Just give her a few seconds to catch her breath then go talk to her. I'm going to lay back down and keep Benny from waking up."

Hopper nodded, trying his best to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. Mentally counting to thirty, he quietly crept to the door that led to the porch and stuck his head out. He found Joyce with her back to him, her elbows resting on the railing of the porch with her head in her hands. The warm pink and orange of sunrise was beginning to show above the tree line as Hopper cleared his throat, trying not to startle her, he stepped forward and stood at her side.

"You okay sweetheart?" He asked softly, his hands sliding into the pockets of his shorts to keep from touching her.

Joyce was silent at first, pondering her own answer. "I was at that place...the lab..." She started hesitantly and continued gazing out into the fields surrounding the tree house. "Brenner was doing whatever it is he does when we go to that back room with the nurse. They had me in this chair, the one I always have to sit in, and before I knew what was happening the nurse was strapping me down. I couldn't move, then Brenner turned around, only…." She tensed, her teeth digging into her bottom lip. "It wasn't Brenner anymore...Travis...it was Travis...he..." She choked out a sob and dropped her hands to the railing, gripping it until her knuckles turned white.

Hopper shifted closer and noticed how the muscles in her back twitched. He paused, leaving a space between them and placed his hand on the railing beside hers, his thumb moving to lightly stroke against the back of hers. "Honey it was just a dream. Travis is in prison, he can't hurt you anymore. And we don't have to see Brenner ever again. Everything's fine."

Joyce jerked her hand away from him and pulled it protectively against her chest, taking a step back. "What if the things I'm dreaming about are true? I can't...I don't remember anything he did to me after I went into that room, and...and I keep seeing things. Things that don't make any sense. Things that might haunt me forever."

Hopper dropped his arm when she moved and stayed frozen in place where he stood. "I know going there was scary, but Brenner did exactly what he said he was going to do. He cured your headaches. And with everything that's happened lately, I'm not surprised going back there triggered your nightmares. You haven't slept properly in weeks and you've been carrying enough stress for the both of us. You need to rest."

Joyce lifted her eyes and shook her head, her fingers gripping her collar. "You...you wouldn't stop…"

Hopper frowned and stared at her confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You…I... I didn't mean to wake you." She said, purposely avoiding the question.

"Joyce." Hopper whispered and stepped forward to comfort her. She immediately tensed and he sighed. "You know I would never hurt you. It was a dream. You don't have to talk about it, but you have to remember it wasn't real. It didn't happen. I won't hurt you."

"You've been hurting me for weeks." Joyce cried, the words slipping from her mouth before she could stop herself.

It was Hopper's turn to flinch and he stumbled back slightly.

"Hop, no...I didn't mean-"

"You know what Joyce, at this point in time I don't really care what you think." He snapped with anger. "Ever since I got that Goddamn letter all anyone around me has done is worry about themselves. How they aren't going to be able to function without me here, how things are going to change so much for them once I'm gone, and no one has ever stopped to consider how the fuck I'm handling all of this! I'm the one who's being shipped off to another fucking continent halfway around the world to be shot at, possibly tortured, not knowing a word of their fucking language for an undetermined amount of time, and all anyone can think about is how horrible things are going to be for them here in fucking Hawkins!" Hopper yelled, not caring who heard him.

"Jim you know-"

"And the worst part of all Joyce, I have to act like going over there doesn't bother me. Because God forbid that Jim Hopper show any amount of weakness. I'm fucking terrified. What if I start day dreaming about you for a split second instead of focusing on what I'm doing and I catch a bullet? What then? If I could go back in time and make you not love me, to spare you from this I would. I would give anything to keep from hurting you. You have to know that." His voice wavered on the last word, tears pooling in his own eyes.

Without giving her a chance to speak, Hopper closed the distance between them and placed a bruising kiss to her lips, the moment ending before she could even register what had happened.

"I'm going back to the house, I need to be alone for a little while and find something for this headache." He said softly, trying to contain all the different emotions he was currently feeling. He gently leaned in and placed a soft kiss to Joyce's forehead, then turned his back on her for the first time in his life.

00000

Joyce found him a few hours later in the training ring dressed in a worn grey flannel rolled up to his elbows, faded jeans, and his work boots. The Hopper's newly acquired horse Clyde was being walked around the ring at a steady pace. Joyce stared in awe at the way the two of them moved together, the dark black colt easily following Hopper's quiet commands as he turned this way and that inside the pin. Joyce stood with one foot on the bottom rail for what felt like an eternity just watching the two of them get to know each other.

Eventually Hopper noticed her standing to the side of the pin and carefully nudged Clyde in her direction.

"I was beginning to wonder if you had seen me." Joyce commented, taking a sugar cube out of her pocket and holding it out for Clyde, who sniffed her curiously before taking her offer.

"I saw you walk up, just didn't feel like talking to you yet." Hopper admitted, running his hand up and down the length of Clyde's nose. Joyce was quiet at first, not exactly sure how to reply to his comment.

"Mom sent me to come get you for lunch, said you would need your strength if you're going to be working with Clyde for the foreseeable future." Joyce mumbled, not trusting her voice to be any louder. She heard Hopper sigh, then he coaxed the colt to the edge of the pin, his grip on the reins tightening out of habit.

"Come on little buddy, let's get you brushed then you can have some fresh hay." Hopper calmly spoke to the horse as if he were a frightened child.

Joyce's heart ached as he walked away. She knew how bad she had hurt him that morning, the evidence clear in how his eyes refused to meet hers.

The box fans placed in various windows inside the barn caused a cool breeze to flow through the faded red building and over Joyce's sweaty forehead as she followed after them.

"What can I help you with"? Joyce asked hesitantly, trying to take a step closer to Hopper as he tethered Clyde to a stall post and went to search for a brush.

"Nothing. Just go back to the house. I'll be in soon."

If the huff that escaped Joyce's lips caught Hopper's attention he didn't show it. "Is this how it's going to be from now on? You giving me the cold shoulder and leaving without saying a word?"

It was Hopper's turn to huff. "That's not it Joyce and you know that. I just need to be by myself for a while. Fuck, you basically said I cared about no one but myself this morning. Now you want to be around me all of a sudden? I can't do anything to make you happy right now. I give you space, you don't want it, I'm by your side, and then you need space. I don't know what to do!" Hopper growled, finally finding a brush and stepping back to Clyde's side.

"I always want you by my side! Why do you think I've been begging for us to get married? Just so we can get it over with? Christ Hopper, we're not even out of high school yet, what other reason would I have to want to get married other than to keep you by my side?!"

Clyde gave a whine of annoyance and Hopper rubbed against his nose lightly.

"I don't want to marry you just so I can stay home. I want to marry you because I love you. I want to marry you because I want to spend the rest of my life with you! To have a family with you!"

Joyce blinked. Her heart was torn between beating out of her chest, or breaking inside of it. "Then why won't you just marry me Jim? I love you more than anything in this world!"

Silence took over the barn for several seconds before Hopper took a step back from Clyde, his hands going into the pocket of his jeans. "I didn't know the right time to do this. I wanted to wait, needed to wait until I knew I was coming home. That I would be able to hold you in my arms again. But now I'm afraid. Afraid that I won't make it back." His voice cracked.

Joyce took a step toward him, her feet moving on their own accord. She paused in front of him and noticed his closed fist tremble slightly.

"You have been the most stubborn, wonderful, annoying, and cherished woman in my life. I chased after you for so long that when you finally agreed to be mine that I nearly howled at the moon. I love you more than life itself." He inhaled, moving until a few inches were between them. Unclasping his fist, Hopper lifted his hand. Pinched between his thumb and finger was a tiny gold band. "This isn't an engagement ring, but a promise to you that when I come back I'll marry you. If for some reason I don't make it, you have to promise me that you'll move on and find someone else to give your heart to. Someone to grow old with that will love you as much as I do."

Joyce tentatively reached for the ring, her fingertips barely brushing against the cold metal before she pulled her hand back. "I don't want it."

Hopper's lips parted in disbelief. "What?"

"I don't want it." She repeated. "Why would I want something that represents a promise you can't keep?"

Hopper shut his eyes and flexed his jaw, visibly shaking as he tried to hold back the anger he could feel about to tip over. "Fine." He said between clenched teeth, the ring biting into the skin of his palm with the tight fist he was making.

"You're basically telling me to accept I'll never see you again and that's not going to happen Jim! I don't want a ring that will mean absolutely nothing to me if you leave. I want a ring that's going to keep you here by my side where you belong!" Joyce snapped out of frustration, the air around them suddenly feeling a hundred degrees hotter. "I've literally spent my entire life fighting just to have one ounce of happiness and I'm not going to stop fighting now because you care more about your pride than our fucking relationship!"

Before Joyce had even finished her sentence, Hopper growled and kicked a bucket full of horse feed as hard as he could across the barn. The thick plastic slammed into the wall with a loud thud, knocking a shovel over. The noise caused Clyde to startle, his back legs kicking out so suddenly that Hopper didn't have a chance to move before a hoof was making contact with the side of his knee. He heard a pop and white hot pain instantly shot through his leg, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Hop!" Joyce yelled, quickly grabbing Clyde's reins to calm him down when he tried to buck again.

"Fuck! Fuck, FUCK!" Hopper cried and clutched his knee to his chest, unable to focus on anything other than the pain overtaking his entire body. He could barely hear Joyce calling his name, the tunnel vision he was experiencing making the rest of his senses slowly fade out.


	33. Chapter 33

With Clyde safely back in his stall, Joyce dropped to her knees beside Hopper who was still curled around his leg groaning in pain. A sheen of sweat had already started to appear on his forehead as he struggled to steady his breathing with slow, shallow breaths.

"Hop? Honey, can you hear me?" Joyce asked, the shake in her voice mirroring the one in her hand as she reached out to touch his shoulder. She quickly took stock of his body for any other injuries before she spotted blood starting to soak through his jeans, mixing with the dirt on the material at the point of impact left from Clyde's hoof.

With a sharp hiss, Hopper removed the grip on his leg, letting it straighten and slide limp to the ground. "Go get mom." He whimpered, his eyes closing to block out the pain when he tried to scoot to where he could lean against something.

"I don't think you should-"

"Joyce, please." He begged and balled his hands into fists at his sides in frustration when the tiny movement caused a searing throb to run up his leg.

Knowing they didn't have time to wait around for a better idea, Joyce jumped to her feet and took off running in the direction of the house.

"Mom!" She yelled, her legs propelling her down the driveway faster than her mind could keep up. "Mom, help!" She yelled again as she skidded around the tail end of Hopper's truck and reached the bottom step of the porch.

Mary swung the screen door open just as Joyce went to reach for it and froze at the look of panic on her daughter's face.

"Joyce, what's wrong? Where's Jim?" Mary asked frantically, her eyes quickly scanning the field in the distance.

Joyce sucked in a breath to calm her racing heart and grabbed Mary's hand, tugging her to follow. "He's hurt. Clyde got scared and kicked him. I don't know what to do."

Mary gently pulled her hand from Joyce's and quickened her pace, her motherly instincts kicking in at the mention of one of her children being injured. When they reached the barn, Mary's gut sank at the sight of Jim writhing in agony on the ground, his complexion a sickening pale color. "Oh Jim, Honey stop moving." She soothed and dropped down beside him.

"Mom," Hopper whispered, his features shifting slightly at seeing her. It was then that Joyce was reminded of just how young he really was. How young they both were. While Hopper played the part of pretending to have his shit together and acting like going to war didn't bother him, he was still only just a teenager and in that moment looked much like a frightened child.

As gently as she could, Mary rolled Jim's pant leg up his shin until she met resistance half way past his calf. The brief pressure caused him to instinctively tense, making the already overly sensitive area erupt with a burning sensation.

"Stop…" He whined, his hand coming out to grip his mother's wrist. "I can't. It hurts too much."

Mary frowned and twisted her arm to hold his hand, her thumb stroking over his dirt-covered skin. "Jim, I need to see where you're bleeding from."

Hopper shook his head, his fingers curling into the thigh of his jeans. "No. Mom...please."

With a sigh, Mary let go of his hand and started unbuttoning his flannel. "Joyce, I need you to move my car as close to the barn door as possible. Can you do that for me?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder at the distraught teenager currently clutching the collar of her shirt.

Joyce blinked and gave a short nod, her stare lingering on Hopper's face a moment before turning and running toward the house once more.

"Which pocket is your knife in?" Mary asked Jim, already patting his jeans.

"Left...left pocket." Hopper murmured, leaning back slightly to give her access to grab it.

Flicking the knife open, Mary held it with her teeth and pushed his flannel off his shoulders. Once his arms were free, she worked quickly to get the material under his injured leg.

"Fuck!...Christ mom, warn me next time!" He cried, his fingers twisting into his hair to keep from hitting something.

Mary removed the knife from her teeth and gently squeezed his thigh. "Jim, look at me." She said, keeping her voice steady.

With a growl, he clenched his jaw and dropped his hands.

"I need you to sit as still as possible, okay?"

"Wh-" He started to question, but found himself hissing in pain instead. With the ease of a practiced surgeon, Mary carefully cut into the knee of his jeans. The sudden release from the confining denim caused the skin to swell around the remaining material like a can of busted biscuits.

By the time Joyce managed to get the car to the barn, Mary had tied a tourniquet with Hopper's flannel high on his thigh. The scream she'd heard upon opening the car door making her shiver as she took in the sight of Mary adjusting the knot.

"Joyce, help me get him to his feet." Mary insisted, wrapping Jim's right arm around her shoulders, while Joyce took the weight of his left.

At the slightest movement, Hopper cried out, his lower leg-pulling against his knee like dead weight when there was no longer anything under him to keep it steady. "Son of a bitch!"

"Honey I know this hurts, but you have to help us get you to the car. Push with your good leg while we pull." Mary instructed.

What felt like an eternity of slow steps and curse words later, they eventually got him settled into the car with his back against the door and his leg laid out across the seat. Joyce immediately reached for his hand from the front of the car while Mary slowly made her way down the bumpy driveway toward the main road.

"Hop, I'm right here," Joyce whispered, her thumb rubbing the skin of his knuckles. "Is there anything you need me to do?" She knew there really wasn't much she could do for his pain, but at the very least she could keep him distracted until they reached the hospital.

"Do you have my lighter?" He asked softly after a moment, his eyes still scrunched closed with his head against the window. "I need a cigarette."

"Absolutely not, young man." Mary scolded through her attempt in reaching Greg over the radio.

Joyce watched the vein in his temple pulse with irritation, his grip on her hand tightening. "For fucks sake mom! I'm bleeding all over your back seat and you're worried about me smoking?!"

Mary slammed the radio receiver back into its holster and glared at him in the mirror. "I'm worried about you going into shock!" The sudden rise in her tone caused Joyce to tense, Mary's worry finally evident in her expression after masking it for so long. "Just focus on staying conscious and keep talking. We're almost there."

Hopper slid his hand from Joyce's and pinched the bridge of his nose, his other gripping the material of his jeans to ease his shaking. Even if he refused to respond, Joyce still attempted to make small talk like Mary asked to keep him calm.

It didn't really matter anyway, Mary was already pulling into the emergency entrance of the hospital and two male nurses were carefully removing Hopper from the backseat of the car. Desperately grabbing onto his wrist to not lose him in the rush, Joyce hurried along beside his chair as the nurse wheeled him inside.

As they passed the lobby, Mary leaned down to kiss the side of Jim's head and whispered an 'I love you' before turning in the direction of the front desk. The last thing Joyce processed was feeling Hopper squeeze her hand two times, then a nurse was telling her she couldn't go any further.

Letting his hand slip from her fingers, Joyce watched as he was wheeled to the back, the huge wooden doors she wasn't allowed to pass slowly blocking her view as they clicked shut. A lump instantly formed in her throat, and no matter how many times she tried to swallow, the pressure kept building. Quickly gripping the collar of her shirt, she sucked in a deep breath and glanced around the small waiting room.

She could faintly hear Mary at the front desk arguing about needing to use the phone. The young blonde was trying to calm her down and get her to fill out paperwork for Jim to be properly admitted. An elderly man sat alone to her right with his face buried in a magazine, and Joyce suddenly felt like the walls were closing in on her.

Not knowing when her feet decided to move, Joyce found herself walking to the corner of the room and curling into a chair, her knees drawn to her chest with her arms wrapped around her shins. She dropped her face against her legs and started crying when reality finally sank in. None of this would have happened if she had just kept her mouth shut. It wasn't until the fight at the tree house that she realized just how horrible she had been lately. Now, Hopper was suffering because she cared more about her own insecurities than what he'd been dealing with. She should have been more supportive and paid better attention to his feelings, but instead, she acted like a spoiled brat and focused all of her energy on herself.

A hand touching her back caused her to startle and she lifted her head to see Mary settling into the chair beside her.

"Joyce, breathe," Mary said calmly, rubbing small circles across her shoulders.

Joyce hadn't noticed she was on the verge of a panic attack and her breaths were coming in shallow pants. She dropped her head back to her knees and shut her eyes, letting out a slow exhale.

"I need you to listen to me, Honey. Take a deep breath and try to calm down. I know this is scary, but Jim's tough. He's with the best doctors in Hawkins and they're going to do everything they can to give him the best care possible." Mary insisted, even though Joyce didn't miss the shake in her voice.

With a quiet sob, Joyce shook her head, still keeping her face hidden. "I'm so sorry mom. None of this would have happened if I hadn't upset him. He's never going to forgive me for this."

"This wasn't your fault Joyce, it was an accident. An unfortunate one, but you can't blame yourself. Whatever happened between the two of you today, you know Jim loves you, you're his everything." Mary removed her hand from Joyce's back and lowered it to place on her knee, squeezing it gently.

Joyce wrapped her fingers around her mother's and turned her head, her cheek brushing against Mary's thumb. "I was so mean to him…" She whispered and swiped at her eyes with her free hand. "He tried to give me this beautiful promise ring and I basically threw it in his face like it meant nothing. He lost his temper and it scared Clyde." She paused with a sigh, tears leaking against her jeans and their conjoined hands. "He didn't deserve this, and I don't deserve his forgiveness after how I treated him. I just hope...I hope…" There was a slight crack in her voice and she stumbled over her words briefly. "If we can't fix this...if for some reason he doesn't want to be with me anymore...will I still have you?...you and dad? Will I still be part of your family?"

"Oh Honey, shhh," Mary whispered and wrapped her arm around Joyce's back to pull her closer into her side. "No matter what happens between you and Jim, I will always love you. You will always be my daughter." Pressing her temple against the top of Joyce's head, Mary brushed a strand of hair out of her face and held her tighter. "Jim might be upset now, but the two of you will get through th-."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Hopper?"

Mary lifted her head away from Joyce and turned to see a man in bright green scrubs standing in front of them cradling a clipboard in his arms.

"I'm Dr. Alston, and I apologize for interrupting, but I need to go over Jim's condition with you to make sure we can get him into surgery as soon as possible."

"Of course," Mary said, reaching to take the clipboard from the doctor. Joyce peeked over her shoulder to inspect the sheet of paper placed at the top of a very small stack. It was a diagram of a leg that showed the different types of bones and their names, along with red marks and scribbles mainly focused around the area of the knee.

Dr. Alston grabbed a pen out of his pocket and moved to sit on the arm of the chair beside Mary, pointing to one of the red marks. "Unfortunately your son has suffered a pretty severe injury. He has a fracture at the base of his femur. His fibula was snapped in half, which was the bone that punctured his skin. There's a break in his tibia and he's torn his ACL, MCL, and meniscus."

Joyce swallowed and looked away to pick at her nails when she could feel her anxiety starting to claw its way up her throat. Sucking in a slow, deep breath, she curled her legs back against her chest and dropped her chin to her knees, silently watching Mary and the doctor out of the corner of her eye while trying not to panic.

"And surgery will fix all of this? He'll be able to walk without any problems?" Mary asked, a slight quiver in her voice.

The surgeon took his clipboard and got to his feet, shoving his pen back into his front pocket. "It'll take some time, but with the proper care and physical therapy, your son shouldn't have any issues with his recovery. He's still young and healthy, which makes this entire process much easier. I wouldn't be surprised in two years it was as if this never happened. If anything he may have a slight ache when the weather turns cold."

Mary let out a sigh of relief and wiped a hand across her brow. "Then please, get started as soon as you can."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hopper. I promise your son is in good hands. This will be a lengthy surgery, so I suggest you make yourselves comfortable" Dr. Alston flashed a half-smile and turned to leave, the huge wooden doors clicking shut behind him.

Mary reached down into her light brown purse that was resting on the sterile hospital floor and dug out her wallet. "Here Honey, go get you something to snack on." She urged, handing Joyce a crumpled ten-dollar bill.

"I'm not hungry mom. I don't think I could keep anything down even if I wanted to." Joyce confessed and attempted to hand the bill back to her.

"How about you get me a cup of coffee then? I'm going back to the nurse's station to try and get in touch with Greg again. You know how I take it." Mary smiled warmly as she got to her feet and headed toward the phone.

Joyce carefully stood, swaying slightly now that the adrenaline rush was waning and lazily shuffled toward the little nook with the words 'vending' inscribed in bold blue letters. Maybe she would get a cup of coffee to sip on as well. Who knows how long we're going to be here, she thought to herself as she inserted the wrinkled bill into the coffee machine and prayed it wouldn't reject the worn paper. A few minutes later and two piping cups in hand, Joyce returned to the seats she and Mary had previously occupied. Mary sat with her legs crossed, an expired gardening magazine in her lap. Holding out her cup, Joyce cleared her throat to gather her attention.

"Thank you, Honey. Come on, have a seat. Greg's out on a call so Flo is going to radio him to come to the hospital." She informed her calmly.

"Dad's going to be so pissed at me. Not only did Jim get hurt, but it's going to make Clyde even more skittish than he already was." Joyce sniffed, trying her best not to cry into the overpriced cup of coffee in her shaking hands.

"He's not going to be mad at you Darlin', concerned yes, mad? never. Don't get me wrong, he's probably going to give you a stern talking to about a healthier way of conveying your emotions, but he won't be mad."

"He has every right to be. So does Jim. God, mom I'm so stupid." Joyce groaned, sliding down further into her seat. "He was giving me that ring as a promise to come home, that he would come back to me, to you and dad, and I didn't even take it from him...I don't even know if he put it back in his pocket or not. What if he dropped it? I'll never be able to find it... And who knows how much he spent on it. Now it's probably buried under feet of hay or sitting in a pile of manure. What kind of girlfriend does that?" If it wasn't for the small smile at the corner of Mary's lips, Joyce would have fully broken down. She was already struggling to keep the tears pooling in her eyes from spilling down her cheeks.

"I did. Well, it wasn't a ring, but a necklace. When Greg and I were dating, a certain cheerleader at school had her eyes on him. You know how rumors start around school. Next thing I know, I'm being told that Greg was caught laying it on her one night at a pep rally. I marched right up to him, smacked him, and threw the necklace he had given me on our one year right into the trash can beside the hotdog cart. Obviously he dug through the trash and returned it, but I was beyond mad at him. Turns out the cheerleader started the rumor in hopes of breaking us up. The point is Joyce, he forgave me for losing my cool, just as Jim will forgive you."

"You can't be sure of that. He was so upset with me."

"He's a Hopper, he's tough. Not to mention that boy would strut buck naked down the street if you asked him to. Just give it a little time. Let him get through this surgery and start to recover."

The sound of boots slapping against linoleum suddenly filled the small waiting room. Looking up from their seats in the corner, Mary and Joyce both caught sight of Greg just as he spotted them. The freshly polished floor didn't allow him to turn as sharply as his body was intended to do, and instead his legs flew out from under him, bringing the big man down to the ground with a loud smack. Seconds later, he was back on his feet, racing toward them.

"Mary, Sweetheart what's going on? Is Jim okay? What happened?" Greg demanded, his expression full of fear instead of the embarrassment Joyce expected to see after the way he'd rushed into the room.

"He's in rough shape, Honey, but he's okay. He's in surgery now. Have a seat and I'll fill you in." Mary insisted, moving the cup of coffee from her hands and into her husband's.

Greg sighed, bringing the cup to his lips and grimacing. "Why is there milk in here?"

"Well, you didn't think I made a coffee for you when I didn't know when you would get here did you?" Mary laughed.

"Good Point. What's going on with Jim? How long has he been in surgery?"

"The doctor came out and had me sign for consent about forty five minutes ago. His knee is pretty bad off. Dr. Alston said he's going to need a lot of physical therapy to get full use out of it again. He also said that this will be a lengthy surgery, so I don't know how long we're going to be here."

"What happened though? What was he doing?" Greg asked.

"It's my fault dad. We were arguing in the barn...It startled Clyde and he kicked him. I'm so, so, sorry." Joyce whispered, dropping her gaze to the floor.

"What in the world could you have been arguing about that was so serious? You two never fight." Greg stated, finally sitting down on Joyce's other side.

"About him being drafted… I've been trying to figure out ways to keep him home since he got his letter, and I told him we should, you know… get married and then he wouldn't have to leave." She mumbled, still avoiding Greg's eyes.

"Jim didn't want to do that though. He didn't want to marry you just to stay home." Greg deadpanned.

Shock, followed by confusion suddenly washed over Joyce as she finally looked up at the only loving father she'd ever had. "How did you…"

"Who do you think took him to get that promise ring, Honey? He told me about a week ago what he wanted to do, so I took him to the jeweler."

"You took him?" She asked, astounded that Greg had given his blessing for a promise ring.

"Of course I did. I already consider you my daughter, and one day you're going to make Jim the happiest man in the entire world by becoming his wife. So yes. I took him to the jeweler and helped him pick out what we thought was the perfect ring."

Joyce stared at him in silence. Stunned for the first time in a long time.

"I'm guessing with the current circumstances you didn't accept it?" Greg asked, breaking through her inner monologue.

Ignoring her vision blurring, Joyce sighed. "I told him I didn't want a promise that he couldn't keep. Then he yelled and Clyde kicked him..."

The feel of Greg's arm wrapping around her shoulders was all it took to lose the battle on her emotions. The tears she'd been struggling to hold back quickly spilled down her face and onto her shirt.

"Shhh. It's okay babydoll. Everything will be okay. Jim will get through this. We just have to stay strong, alright? Come on now, rest your head and try to get a nap in. Jim will be out of surgery before you know it and then he can tell you for himself how much he loves you." Greg whispered to his daughter as he urged her to lay her head on his shoulder.

"Promise you'll wake me as soon as you hear something?"

"Scouts honor." Greg said with a smile and held up three fingers. Taking the now cold cup of coffee from Joyce's hands, he shifted to get comfortable in his chair for a long evening in the waiting room.

00000

Beeping. Steady, annoying, beeping. This was the first thing Hopper consciously picked up on. Followed quickly by intense pain that he didn't have words to describe. Drugs, he needed drugs, and not the bullshit they give you for aches and pains at school. God's honest drugs that would knock a moose off its ass. Trying to open his eyes, he let out a groan that could have woken the dead.

"Jim, Honey don't move. I'm going to get a nurse, just stay still." His mother's voice startled him slightly as he shifted his shoulders and carefully turned his stiff neck.

"You listen about as well as your father, you know that?" Mary scolded and made her way to the door, stepping out into the hallway.

Hopper's eyes carefully roamed the room, taking is his surroundings. The shades had been drawn, keeping out whatever light was outside, and a small rolling tray to his right was littered with vending machine wrappers and empty paper cups. How long had he been out? And most importantly, where was Joyce?

"Nice to finally see you awake, Jim." An unfamiliar baritone sounded from the foot of his bed.

Turning his head once again, Hopper blinked to steady his vision. A tall man in scrubs and a lab coat he didn't recognize was standing beside his mother.

"My name is Dr. Alston. I performed your surgery. You gave us quite a scare there young man."

"Not exactly my intentions." Hopper groaned as he attempted to sit up.

"Try not to move around too much, Jim. As you can see, you're in a cast from your thigh down to your toes."

Now that the doctor mentioned it, his right leg felt heavy as hell compared to his left. Looking down the length of his body, Hopper grimaced at the sight of the temporary soft cast covering 90% of his leg. "So when do I get this off?" He asked, moving an arm to rest behind his head.

"Oh, you're going to be in a cast for a few months at the very least."

"A few months!" Hopper yelled, causing the pain in his leg to radiate upwards into his hips. Letting out a gasp, he fist the sheets that were collected at his sides. "I can't be in the thing for months! I live on a farm, I have animals to tend to. I can't be down for more than a few weeks...Not to mention I have prom. I can't go to Vietnam without dancing with my girlfriend... I just can't." He pleaded and looked over at the doctor, a look of desperation in his expression.

"Right now all you need to focus on is healing that knee. I'm sure your girlfriend will have a dance saved for you, and I know your mother and father will be able to handle the farm in the meantime. As for Vietnam, we've already sent off your paperwork explaining in detail about your injury as requested by your father. It entails everything about the surgery and the estimated timeline for your recovery. If, and that's a big if, they still want to take you, you won't be able to go for at least six or seven months at the earliest. And pardon my french, but you would be a shit soldier if you couldn't walk three steps without falling down."

Hopper sighed and dug the heel of his palms into his eyes. How was it that his entire world could be turned upside down in a matter of seconds?

"The button on the right side of your bed is for pain. You're hooked up to a drip. Just hit the button when you need it. Keep in mind that everything in that bag is all you're going to get in the next 48 hours, so don't go too crazy with it kid." Dr. Alston nodded at Mary before turning to leave the dimly lit room.

His feet were barely over the threshold before Hopper's fingers were repeatedly pressing the small button on the side of his bed. He had a feeling that him and that little red square were going to become great friends over the next few days.

"Where's Joyce? Is she okay?" He asked, still trying to comfortably shift his body to face his mother.

"She's fine. She's at home with your father. They needed to shower and catch up on some sleep. You've been out for almost two days." Mary informed him as she sat down in what looked like the most uncomfortable recliner known to man at his bedside.

"Two days? I've been here for two days!?"

"Honey, your knee is in pretty bad shape. The surgery you had took almost eight hours. They've been giving you some strong pain medicine to keep you comfortable, which also happens to make you tired. This is the first time you've been awake longer than a few minutes since you came out of surgery."

"I guess that makes sense," Hopper huffed and tried to adjust the parts of his body that were capable of moving. When he started feeling the effects of the magical liquid behind the red button, he dropped his head back against his pillow and finally noticed the dark circles under his mother's eyes. "Mom, go home, get some sleep, and eat something that isn't pre-packaged okay? I'll be fine. I've got plenty of meds to make sure I do nothing but sleep for the next few hours anyway." He said, his eyes already getting heavy.

Mary laughed. "You sound just like your father."

"Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all." He chuckled in return.

"Try to get some rest. I'll make sure one of us is here when you wake up. I love you." Mary whispered as she stood from her seat and placed a light kiss to his forehead.

"I love you too mom. Thank you for always keeping it together when something happens to me or Joyce, or dad for that matter."

"That's what I'm here for Honey." She said with a smile, giving his shoulder a quick squeeze before turning to leave.

"Hey mom? Can You do me a favor?"

"Anything Honey." Mary promised as she hesitated by the door.

"Tell Joyce I love her when you get home."

A warm smile suddenly crossed her lips at his request. "I'm sure she knows, but I'll remind her. Get some rest dear."

The moment his mother was out of sight, Hopper exhaled all the air in his lungs in one long breath. Reaching for the button on the side of his bed, he smashed it three more times in quick succession and shut his eyes.

00000

The hardest thing about sharing a bed with someone every night, was trying to sleep when they were no longer beside you. Joyce was convinced that was her problem as she tossed and turned for the majority of the night. She didn't even think she had successfully slept a total of ten minutes without waking to roll over or blankly stare at the ceiling. When the sound of movement caught her attention, she sighed and crawled from under the covers. Grabbing one of Hopper's flannels, she threw it on over her thin nightshirt and headed downstairs.

Greg was already fully dressed and standing in front of the stove, a spatula in one hand, the other holding a folded newspaper to his face.

"Morning Dad." She called out across the room and stumbled toward the refrigerator, hoping a glass of orange juice would help relieve the headache she felt starting to brew in the back of her head.

"Morning Darlin', did you managed to get any sleep?" Greg asked as he began to add cheese to whatever was in the frying pan.

"Ehh. Not really. What about you?"

"Not a wink. It's hard to sleep when Mary isn't with me. I know that sounds stupid, but it's the truth."

Joyce hid a smile behind her glass of orange juice and took a seat at the table. "It's not stupid at all. Just goes to show how much you love her."

"Yeah, I guess you're right kiddo. I'm making some eggs and bacon with toast. It's not going to be like your moms of course, but it's edible."

"I'm sure it's fine dad. If Jim's cooking hasn't killed me yet, I doubt yours will." Joyce watched as he slid the food onto two worn plates and moved to join her at the table.

"Here's to hoping that it doesn't." Greg laughed as he began to shake salt and pepper over his eggs. He'd barely gotten the fork to his mouth when the sound of the front door opening caught both of their attention. After a few heartbeats, Mary walked into the kitchen, looking as tired as the two of them felt.

"Hey Sweetheart, didn't know you were coming home. Here, sit down and eat, I'll go make more for me." He insisted and got to his feet, offering Mary his seat.

"Thank you Honey, it's been a long night. Jim woke up before I left. He was in pain, which is to be expected, but they have him on a drip with some strong medicine. The doctor said he's going to be there at least a few more days before he can come home for extensive bed rest. He's not to do anything that requires moving on his own. So I'm going to be taking up his part of the chores." Mary stated as she stabbed a chunk of egg on her plate.

"You do enough around here as it is, I'll take care of it. Besides, I need to work on Clyde to get him used to people. Obviously he's not as sociable as we thought."

"I'll handle the chores. This whole thing is my fault anyway." Joyce said softly from her place across the table.

"It is not your fault young lady, and I don't want to hear you say it is again." Mary stated, taking a second to sip the coffee Greg had brought her. Joyce knew better than to argue when Mary used that tone, so she remained silent.

"We do need to talk about something important however." Greg said once he sat back down. "Jim's going to be out of commission for a while. I'm not worried about the chores and all that mess since I'll have to do more after the two of you graduate anyway, but we need to work on getting your license. I know you don't want to rely on anyone to take you from point A to point B for the rest of your life. So once things start to calm down we're going to have you drive around the farm some more to get you used to being behind the wheel."

Joyce panicked slightly at the mention of her driving. "What if I knock down the mailbox, or take out an unsuspecting chicken?"

Both Mary and Greg laughed at her worries.

"Mailboxes can be replaced, and we'll be sure to hide all the chickens before we get started."

Joyce sighed quietly and returned to pushing a piece of egg around her plate with her fork, knowing they were right.

"When I was leaving the hospital, Jim told me to tell you that he loves you Joyce. Just wanted to pass that along."

"I don't see how he still does. I was awful to him. Yelling at him for things that are out of his control. I'll be surprised if he still wants to be with me after all this mess." She confided to no one in particular.

"Don't be silly young lady, that boy loves you more than he's loved anything in his life. I doubt there's anything he wouldn't do for you. All couples fight Honey. When Mary and I were dating we had one about once a month, and look at us now. We've been married twenty one years, have two beautiful children, and a wonderful farm to call home. We couldn't be happier. All this will blow over before you know it, I promise." Greg concluded as he stood from the table and placed his plate in the sink. "Now, you two try and get some sleep. I'm going to go feed the animals, then go to the hardware store. We can all go see Jim when I get back home, sound good?"

Both women nodded and Greg placed a kiss to the top of Mary's head, before ruffling Joyce's hair. It wasn't long after the front door closed that Mary stood from the table.

"Come on Honey, you can sleep in the bed with me. It's hard for me to sleep when Greg's not there."

Joyce had a hard time hiding her grin at Mary's confession. It looked like everyone in the Hopper household had issues with sleeping alone. Too tired to argue, Joyce followed Mary up the stairs and hoped she'd be able to get at least a few hours of rest. The last conscious thought she had as she closed her eyes, was how similar Mary and Jim sounded when they were falling asleep.


End file.
